Bucaramanga was home to an unprecedented situation in Colombian university athletics.
Amatista Franco Aristizábal, a transgender athlete from the Pascual Bravo University Foundation, in Medellín, took first place in her women’s 200 meters heat during the national final of the Ascun University Games.
The competition was mired in controversy when the final round for the medals arrived. Several delegations chose not to appear in the final, citing a sporting disadvantage. in reference to the participation of a transgender athlete.
The 200 meters final was scheduled for Monday, October 20 at the Luis Enrique Figueroa stadium in La Flora. However, the race did not take place..
Delegates from some finalist teams decided to withdraw after confirming that Amatista Franco Aristizábal would compete in the definition.
The athlete from Antioquia had qualified after winning her heat the previous Sunday and recording one of the best times of the tournament.
According to the regulations, the winners of each series and the two best remaining marks advanced to the last stage, forming a group of eight runners.
In the absence of several delegations, The test was suspended and the result remains under reviewboth in the 200 meters and in the 100 meters hurdles, another event in which Amatista Franco Aristizábal was scheduled to participate.
On their social networks, Amethyst Franco Aristizábal denounced the violence that, in his opinion, implied the decision to cancel the final and criticized the management of the event.
“It is incredible to see how different types of violence can be experienced. In this case, systemic violence. What happened to me was not just a sporting decision, but a reflection of how violence manifests itself in different ways,” said the athlete.
In her message, she also noted: “When a media exposes me without my consent, when institutions remain silent in the face of transphobic comments and when a competition is canceled without protecting the athletes, it is not just that they do not let you ‘run’: it is the hours of waiting, the sweat and the warm-up without clarity or justice. That is also violence. They wear you down so that you look like a problem and cause confusion among the participants.”
Amatista emphasized: “They identify me as the problem and the exclusion is legitimized under the guise of a collective decision. These types of sentences should not be made. Finally, I feel terrible for my colleagues who were affected; they were not responsible for the chaos, but were dragged along by a poorly managed institutional decision.”
In his final reflection, he expanded the focus: “Beyond my case, people with disabilities were also immersed in the problem of poor management of the Ascun 2025 project. The lack of care cannot revolve around me: this situation must be carefully reviewed.”
The reaction of social organizations was immediate. Diego Ruiz, representative of the Conpazes Corporation of Bucaramanga, expressed his concern about the exclusion of Franco Aristizábal in the Ascun Games and warned that spaces for the trans population are being restricted, both in sport and in other social spheres, which he considers a setback in terms of rights.
“Amatista’s case reflects an act of violence and ignorance of her identity as a woman,” said Ruiz. In addition, she requested that the investigations advance and a fair resolution be reached, highlighting that this case could set a relevant precedent for the protection of the rights of trans people in Colombia.
This episode occurs a few days after The Constitutional Court issued a historic ruling on October 1, guaranteeing the right of trans people to participate in official sports competitionsbased on the principles of equality and non-discrimination. The high court based its decision on articles 13, 16 and 52 of the Political Constitution of Colombia, which enshrine equality before the law, the free development of personality and the right to sport. Article 52 establishes: “The exercise of sport is a right of all Colombians.”
In his ruling, the Constitutional Court He stressed that restrictions based on gender identity or expression lack constitutional justification and violate fundamental rights.
The case that led to the ruling was that of Emiliana Castrillón, a trans athlete who had been prevented from competing in women’s tournaments by the Antioquia Volleyball League.. The court protected their rights to equality, sport and gender identity, pointing out that there is no conclusive scientific evidence that demonstrates a sporting advantage for trans women over cisgender women.
Besides, The Court highlighted that Castrillón had competed for a decade, with hormonal levels similar to those of other athletes.without affecting the fairness or safety of the competition, and ordered the League to allow their participation and adjust its regulations. The ruling emphasized the need to evaluate each case individually, recognizing the diversity of experiences and transition processes of trans women.
The Ministry of Justice and Law in Colombia defines transgender people as those whose gender identity does not correspond to the sex assigned at birth. According to the entity, The term “trans” is used to refer to people whose gender identity and/or expression does not conform to the social norms and expectations traditionally associated with their assigned sex.. Trans people may identify as man, woman, trans men, trans women, non-binary people, or other terms that reflect a fluid or different gender identity from the traditional one.
The case of Amethyst Franco Aristizábal It takes on special relevance because it occurs in the midst of a global debate about the inclusion of trans athletes in sport. While World Athletics, the governing body of world athletics, maintains a ban on the participation of trans women in elite eventsIn Colombia, constitutional jurisdiction prevails, which protects fundamental rights above international sports standards and allows the participation of Franco Aristizábal in the Ascun Games.
