Bob Costas suggests applying ‘common sense’ to restrict transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports

Legendary sports broadcaster Bob Costas has voiced strong opposition against the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports, saying that it is a matter of “common sense.”

During his appearance on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” on Feb. 9, Costas expressed disbelief at the notion of allowing a transgender male-born boxer to compete against naturally born women, saying, “It seems crazy,” reported Breitbart.

“If someday the best player in the WNBA can play in the NBA,” he said, “everybody would applaud. But if the worst guy at the end of the bench on the worst team in the NBA went to the WNBA and averaged 40 points a game, everybody knows that’s bull****.”

Highlighting the autonomy of various professional sports governing bodies, Costas acknowledged their ability to establish their own regulations. However, he criticized the decision of some federations, such as in Olympic boxing, to permit transgender women to compete against biologically female athletes, deeming it “crazy.”

USA Boxing, the governing body overseeing the sport in the United States, faces criticism for its recently implemented transgender policy, deemed “pathetic and disgusting” by some critics. The policy permits biological men to box against biological women, reported the N.Y. Post.

According to the 2024 rule book, male boxers who undergo transition may enter the female category, provided they satisfy specific criteria. Athletes under 18-years old must still compete according to their birth gender. However, adults can select their category upon declaring their new gender identity and completing gender reassignment surgery.

Transgender competitors are subject to regular hormone testing. The new policy mandates that transgender women must maintain testosterone levels below five nanomoles per liter for three years preceding their initial competition in the “female” category. Additionally, their total testosterone levels must remain under five nmol/L for the duration of their eligibility.

“It’s not transphobic to say, ‘Let’s inject some common sense here,’ ” Costas said, noting the issue’s complexity while affirming support for individuals pursuing their true selves.

Providing specific examples for his stance, Costas drew parallels between athletes of different genders and weight classes, citing their contrasting physical attributes. He emphasized the disparity in capabilities, highlighting the unfair advantage transgender athletes might possess.

Joining the discussion, Caitlin Flanagan, a writer for The Atlantic, echoed Costas’ sentiments, emphasizing the inherent physiological disparities between males and females in sports.

“Women’s and girls’ sports … they’re that way because of the profound [physical] sex differences between the sexes,” Flanagan said. She said the absence of transgender male athletes in prominent men’s sports leagues, underscoring the perceived advantage transgender women may have due to biological traits.

Flanagan’s assertion aligns with Costas’ contention that allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports could compromise the integrity of fair competition.

“You don’t hear about any trans male athletes on a D1 basketball team,” Flanagan said, “it’s the trans women who seem to be using a natural advantage that comes from sex-linked traits.”