A transgender volleyball player is now Brazil’s first in its women’s Superliga, according to the Associated Press, and she wants to represent her country in the Olympics.
Tiffany Abreu played professionally in men’s leagues, and she is now, having transitioned, venturing into women’s volleyball as her true self.
“I took every needed step after my agent said I could play women’s volleyball,” she told the Associated Press. “He knows the rules and said other transsexual athletes play in smaller leagues. So I decided to come back.”
According to the AP, five years ago Abreu has gender-reassignment surgery, had her legal documents changed to her new name and has been taking hormones to control her levels of testosterone ever since.
To be sure, Abreu will face critics who claim she has unfair advantages. Except, if she played a high levels in the men’s game, why should she not be playing at high levels in the women’s game? It’s not as though she was some pick-up volleyball player with the men who is now crushing all the women. She went from elite volleyball to elite volleyball and is still just one player on a team.
Though the next Summer Olympics are still nearly three years away, Abreu will be one athlete we are watching.
