It took a special ruling, but they finally did it.

International swimming has now banned men from swimming in women's competitions.

From The Blaze:

FINA – the international governing body for swimming competitions – approved new policies for transgender swimmers on Sunday. The new restrictions bar transgender athletes from competing against women in elite events, except under one condition.

FINA voted to prohibit transgender athletes from competing in elite women's swimming competitions. The new rule goes into effect on Monday. However, FINA will allow transgender swimmers to compete if they have completed their transition by the age of 12.

This would prevent someone like William (Lia) Thomas, a man who acts as if he's a woman, from competing against actual women in international competitions.

"This is not saying that people are encouraged to transition by the age of 12. It's what the scientists are saying, that if you transition after the start of puberty, you have an advantage, which is unfair," James Pearce – the spokesperson for FINA president Husain Al-Musallam – told the Associated Press. "They're not saying everyone should transition by age 11; that's ridiculous. You can't transition by that age in most countries, and hopefully you wouldn't be encouraged to. Basically, what they're saying is that it is not feasible for people who have transitioned to compete without having an advantage."

Here's a visual in case you need to better understand said advantage:

Brent Nowicki – the governing body's executive director – said, "FINA's approach in drafting this policy was comprehensive, science-based and inclusive, and, importantly, FINA's approach emphasized competitive fairness."

FINA released a 24-page explanation of its policy change. To arrive at its decision, FINA consulted three groups of experts in the fields of athletics, law, human rights, and science.

Here's to protecting women's sports!

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