World Aquatics, the international governing body of water sports, canceled debut events in its open category for self-identified transgender swimmers after no competitors registered.

The World Aquatics Swimming World Cup, starting this week in Berlin, had planned to include a new open category division in the 50-meter and 100-meter races of all strokes that would welcome competitors of either sex who identified as transgender.

“Following the close of registration for the Open Category. . . World Aquatics can confirm that no entries have been received for the Open Category events,” the federation stated.

In 2022, World Aquatics adopted policies that would only permit male swimmers in women’s events if there was sufficient proof that they transitioned before age 12 or the puberty stage known as Tanner Stage 2.

The swimming federation permits females to compete in men’s categories, although the athletes must sign waivers to participate in water polo and high diving; the female athletes seeking to compete in the men’s divisions must also meet the federation’s doping regulations. Female athletes can compete in the women’s categories if they took testosterone for less than one year outside of puberty and if their testosterone levels have returned to “pre-treatment normal.”

“Classifying athletes on the basis of sex is necessary to meet World Aquatics’ goals for female Aquatics athletes and the women’s competition category,” the federation stated in 2022. “World Aquatics’ eligibility standards for the women’s category are narrowly tailored so that they can achieve those goals without unnecessarily limiting participation by gender-diverse athletes.”

Although there will not be an open category for self-identified transgender swimmers at the upcoming competition in Berlin, World Aquatics has not entirely eliminated the division.

“The World Aquatics Open Category Working Group will continue its work and engagement with the aquatics community on Open Category events,” the federation stated. “Even if there is no current demand at the elite level, the working group is planning to look at the possibility of including Open Category races at Masters events in the future.”

In 2022, the University of Pennsylvania nominated male swimmer William “Lia” Thomas, a self-identified “transgender woman,” for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year award. Thomas won the NCAA women’s championship in the 500-yard freestyle.