Argentina: Justice orders local women's field hockey league to renew contract of transgender player

The Argentinean justice has ordered a local women's field hockey league to renew the contract of a transgender player who had been rejected due to gender issues, a judicial source reported on Tuesday.

Jessica Millaman will be able to participate in the women's field hockey league of Chubut province (south) because "the contract represents access to the appropriate material conditions that enable the realization of an important part of her life plan", stated the judicial ruling.

"This weekend, Jessica will be ready to compete and will be able to be part of the women's championship thanks to the recognition of her gender identity and the application of the principle of equality," said her lawyer Cecilia Russo.

Millaman, 21 years old, underwent a sex change and obtained her female documents in 2013, protected by the gender identity law approved in Argentina in 2012.

The rejection of the contract renewal by the Women's Field Hockey Association of the Valley of Chubut goes against the recommendations of the Olympic Committee.

The IOC decided in 2003 to allow the competition of transgender individuals as long as they can prove that they have undergone sex reassignment surgery, completed two years of hormonal therapy, and have documents accrediting their new sexual identity.

However, for the recent 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, the IOC announced that transgender athletes could compete without the need to have undergone surgery, understanding that this requirement could violate their rights.

Millaman stated that the Chubut Hockey Association rejected her registration despite meeting the requirements to compete after completing her hormonal treatment.

Alongside the legal action, the athlete launched a campaign through the social media platform Facebook to denounce what she considers a case of discrimination, receiving dozens of expressions of support.