Rio de Janeiro Court Prohibits Transgender Athlete Tifanny Abreu from Playing

The Rio de Janeiro State Court has revoked a preliminary injunction that previously allowed transgender volleyball player Tifanny Abreu to compete for Osasco in women's matches. This new ruling suspends a lower court decision that had permitted her participation.

The court's decision is based on Article 217 of the Brazilian Constitution, which stipulates that the Judiciary should only intervene in matters of sports discipline and competition after all instances of Sports Justice have been exhausted. The rapporteur noted that the urgency of the sporting calendar alone is not sufficient to bypass this constitutional requirement.

Simultaneously, the Sports Justice system issued a unanimous decision prohibiting the athlete from playing. The Brazilian Volleyball Confederation (CBV) stated it will continue to comply with all judicial and sports justice determinations. The CBV noted that its current eligibility policy aligns with the criteria set by the International Olympic Committee and the International Volleyball Federation, which restrict transgender women from participating in professional women's sports.