The London Marathon organizers have announced they will await guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and Sport England before making any definitive decisions regarding the categorization of transgender runners in future events.
This comes in the wake of a recent UK Supreme Court ruling that clarified the legal definition of a woman as based on biological sex. The ruling doesn’t require instant changes but will likely influence future sports policies on transgender participation.
London Marathon follows World Athletics’ 2023 rules, barring transgender women from elite and competitive female categories. However, Transgender runners can still join the mass event, self-selecting their gender at registration.
Event director Hugh Brasher emphasized the marathon’s commitment to safeguarding women’s sports.
“The London Marathon has been very clear about protecting women’s rights—that’s women from birth, women as defined by the court—in terms of competition, good for age, championship, and elite athletes.”
He said the marathon will follow legal guidelines but awaits EHRC and Sport England reports this summer before updating policies.
The Supreme Court’s ruling has intensified debates around fairness and inclusion in women’s sports. While it does not enforce immediate policy shifts, its influence may prompt more sports organizations to restrict transgender women from female categories. In March 2023, World Athletics banned transgender women from female events, overturning prior testosterone-based eligibility rules.
Brasher reaffirmed the London Marathon’s dual focus on inclusivity and competitive integrity.
“We delight in being both inclusive, but also protecting in competition the rights of women, which is incredibly important. Lord Coe and World Athletics have always led on that, and we absolutely look to continue doing that.”
More than 56,000 people are expected to take part in the 2025 London Marathon through the streets of the capital on Sunday.