The spiked podcast The end of men in women’s sports? | Sharron Davies
Nov 19, 2025
Sharron Davies, an Olympic medallist and co-founder of the Women's Sports Union, passionately critiques the inclusion of trans women in female sports, calling it unfair and dangerous for female athletes. She discusses the IOC's potential change in policy, while also highlighting the physiological advantages some male athletes carry. Sharron draws parallels to historical doping scandals and emphasizes the negative impact on grassroots sports, warning that female competitors may feel compelled to withdraw from competitions altogether.
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IOC Shift Driven By Pressure
- Sharron Davies says the IOC's leaked move to protect female categories is a positive but partial shift.
- She believes political pressure and upcoming LA Games influenced the change rather than moral leadership.
Biology Explains Sporting Gaps
- Davies highlights clear biological performance gaps between males and females across sports, often 10–30%.
- She argues those gaps make male inclusion unsafe and unfair in contact sports like boxing and rugby.
Seeing East German Doping Firsthand
- Davies recounts spotting East German women's teams in the 1970s and suspecting doping from a young age.
- She links their sudden dominance and changed voices to state-sponsored testosterone use.