The Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) has approved a new administrative procedure that sets eligibility rules for participation in female-only extracurricular competitive athletics. The policy, titled Administrative Procedure: Fairness and Safety in Sport, applies to students aged 12 and older and was adopted on August 28.It references the Education Act, the Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, and related regulations.The procedure establishes that students may take part in female-only sports only if their birth registration lists their sex as female. To participate, students must submit Form 263-3, which verifies eligibility before joining an activity..The rules also include a challenge mechanism. Parents of students in the same female-only sport may contest another student’s eligibility. A CCSD director reviews such challenges, with the authority to dismiss them if considered baseless or in bad faith. In cases where eligibility is questioned, the director may request a copy of the student’s birth registration. If a student is found ineligible, they are barred from participating in female-only sports. Parents can appeal dismissed challenges as board policies must include a process that allows reconsideration of a dismissed challenge, with the board responsible for all aspects of the eligibility policy and appeal mechanism, while neither the Act nor the Regulation provide for appeals to the Government of Alberta.Supporting documents accompany the policy. Form 263-1 is a general consent form for all extracurricular competitive sports, requiring signatures from all legal guardians. It acknowledges physical, emotional, and mental risks, and releases the school district from liability for claims. Form 263-3, specific to female-only sports, repeats these provisions but also requires guardians to confirm their child’s eligibility based on birth registration. Both forms emphasize the risks of competitive athletics and recommend additional insurance beyond the district’s basic coverage.The procedure applies only to female-only sports and does not create equivalent rules for male-only athletics. According to the district, the measures are intended to safeguard fairness and safety in female categories of competition.
