Complaint
The programme included an interview with Dr Ross Tucker in an item introduced as follows:聽鈥One of the most controversial number stories around.聽 Sports bodies worldwide face a challenge 鈥 how can they maintain fairness in women鈥檚 competitions while including trans women?鈥.聽 A listener complained that Dr Tucker was an unsuitable contributor, being biased on the topic of trans inclusion in women鈥檚 sports and unqualified in relevant physiological specialisms (such as endocrinology), and that some of his comments in the interview were misleading.聽 The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the 麻豆官网首页入口鈥檚 editorial standards of impartiality and accuracy.
Outcome
The ECU found no evidence of bias in Dr Tucker鈥檚 approach to the topic of the interview, and did not agree that bias could be inferred from his observations on the physical effects of male puberty and the extent to which they could be counteracted by testosterone suppression.聽 Although it would have been clear to listeners that Dr Tucker had his own views on the issues raised by trans participation on women鈥檚 sports, the ECU did not regard this as breaching the 麻豆官网首页入口鈥檚 standards of due impartiality in a context where the focus was on demystifying the relevant data rather than advocacy of a particular viewpoint, and where it was made sufficiently clear in the item that other views might reasonably be held.聽 The ECU regarded Dr Tucker鈥檚 PhD in exercise physiology as sufficient qualification for him to address a topic on which few are able to claim expertise in every potentially relevant academic discipline, and found his statements as to fact to be consistent with such research as has been published in this area, not misleading as maintained by the complainant.
Not upheld