athletes

Zdeněk Koubek: Competitive Sports and Gender

Zdeněk Koubek was a transgender track athlete who began his life fascinated by athletics, particularly after his family moved to Brno. He pulled his way up the sports ladder, beginning as a coach and instructor while training, breaking and setting national records, then winning two medals in the Women’s World Games. Koubek’s success, however, was met with doubt, as his androgyny caused the public to question the validity of his competitive success. The issues Zdeněk Koubek faced in the past reflects modern controversial topics in competitive sports.