A Spanish athlete lost her chance to participate in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games after being displaced by a transsexual who had already competed in the men's category on multiple occasions.
Fabrizio Petrillo, a 49-year-old Italian man who identifies himself as a woman and goes by the name Valentina, snatched the chance to qualify in the 200 meters in the T12 category (for those with a visual impairment) from 33-year-old Spanish athlete Melani Bergés.
Petrillo had already competed several times in the men's category and even broke a national record. But a few years ago, 'she' changed categories, which is when 'she' began to displace other female competitors.
The man started his hormone treatment in 2019, and a year later, he entered the women's category of the Paralympic championships in Italy in the 100, 200 and 400 meters. The trans athlete was victorious in all three races and has gained ground in international competitions. Now, several women have come together to express their outrage at the involvement of a person who grew up and developed as a man and maintains male genetics.
"Inclusion and respect for all people without discrimination is one thing, and another, as we are facing now, is to lose our way and accept that sport is unfair from the starting line. My support is for Melani and for all women because this affects us all", expressed another Paralympic athlete, Susana Rodríguez Gacio.
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Inclusión y el respeto hacia todas las personas sin discriminación, y otra, ante la q nos encontramos, es perder el rumbo y aceptar q el deporte sea injusto desde la línea de salida. Mi apoyo es para Melany y para todas las mujeres xq esto nos afecta a todas. https://t.co/hP3TYsu4Kk— Susana Rguez. Gacio (@SuRGAcio) July 25, 2023
"Our Spanish athlete Melani Bergés lost the chance to qualify for the Paralympic Games because of the participation of a man: Fabrizio "Valentina" Petrillo, who advanced to the final in her place. It is unfair. That is not their category," said Irene Aguiar, a specialist in sports law.
