UK Athletics has decided to ban transgender athletes competing in the female category ©Getty Images

UK Athletics has announced a ban on transgender athletes competing in the female category after claiming it had received the "required assurances" on the legality of imposing such a ruling.

The move comes after the World Athletics Council decided last week to exclude transgender athletes from women’s competition.

It was ruled by the worldwide governing body, led by Sebastian Coe, that there was "insufficient evidence that trans women do not retain advantages over biological women".

UK Athletics claimed it "appreciates the efforts" made by World Athletics to "protect the female category" and added that the new transgender regulations would apply to all of its licensed events from midnight today.

In February, UK Athletics concluded that it cannot "lawfully exclude trans women in possession of a gender recognition certificate" - a legal document that recognises that trans women are female both administratively and legally.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe announced last week that transgender athletes would be barred from women's competition due to
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe announced last week that transgender athletes would be barred from women's competition due to "insufficient evidence that trans women do not retain advantages over biological women" ©Getty Images

Calls were made by UK Athletics for the British Government to make an amendment to the 2010 Equality Act to allow it to chance its policy on the participation of transgender athletes.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) - established by the earlier 2006 Equality Act - criticised UK Athletics for publicising "inaccurate advice".

UK Athletics has now released a statement revealing it had received "required assurances from relevant bodies that the sporting exemption in the Equality Act 2010 applies to the Gender Recognition Act 2004".

The national governing body said it felt that it was "fair for athletes who have gone through male puberty to be excluded from the female category" but that "athletics should remain as inclusive sport".

UK Athletics added that it "remains concerned about the ethics of coercing individuals to undergo pharmacological intervention purely for sporting purposes".

The national governing body also ruled that any transgender athlete who has already entered a competition or event in the category that is not their biological sex having complied with the 2021 UK Athletics Policy will “remain eligible to compete in that event but may not accept any prize and their results will not count towards any record, qualifying time or mark, or team scoring".

British Olympic swimming silver medallist Sharron Davies praised UK Athletics' decision on transgender athletes and urged other sports in the country to follow suit.

"All other UK sporting bodies must follow or are open to sex discrimination court cases for not upholding fair sport and equal opportunities for young girls and women, including masters and recreational events," Davies, an outspoken critic on the subject of transgender participation in sport, posted on Twitter.

"All females are worthy of fair sport."