A stance on transgender athletes made by one of the world's most important athletic federations has sent ripples throughout the 2️⃣ rest of the sports world and some fear it may bring even wider changes to come.

The governing body of international 2️⃣ competitive swimming announced a policy that will only allow athletes who've transitioned before the age of 12 to take part 2️⃣ in any of the elite international swimming competitions.

Lia Thomas, second left, of Penn University and transgender swimmer Iszac Henig (L) 2️⃣ of Yale pose with their medals after placing first and second in the 100-yard freestyle swimming race at the 2022 2️⃣ Ivy League Women's Swimming & Diving Championships at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images, FILE

The decision made 2️⃣ by FINA pointed to what the organization says is a "performance gap" that emerges between biological males and females during 2️⃣ puberty.