November 14, 2007 (Ottawa, ON) – AthletesCAN, in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) and the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS), is heading up a Sport Canada-funded project entitled Promising Practices: Working with Transitioning/Transitioned Athletes in Sport.

Transitioning/transitioned is a term that refers to a person experiencing gender dysphoria, or the intense discomfort experienced when physical sex and gender identity are not aligned.

The goal of this project is to remove barriers that inhibit sport participation for transitioning/transitioned athletes. Sport Canada has contributed significant resources forresearch, education and awareness, policy development, and advocacy work in this area.

This project provides a tremendous opportunity to assess the current knowledge in the area, to explore any knowledge gaps and develop a positive framework to allow for these athletes to experience all the benefits of a values-driven sport experience.

“Every athlete in this country should have access to a safe, fair and inclusive sport system no matter what their differences,” says AthletesCAN President Claire Carver-Dias. “It is very encouraging that Sport Canada supports the importance of funding a project that will create a more inclusive sport environment and will better the experience for athletes in this country.”