Parkrun has removed all gender, course and age records from its website amid a row over trans women athletes holding the fastest times in female categories. 

The decision has incensed former British Olympians while some participants have pulled their donations saying they refuse to bankroll an organisation that ‘hides its stats’ rather than ‘correct its gender policy’. 

Former British swimmer Sharron Davies blasted Parkrun for being ‘cowardly’ while former marathon star Mara Yamauchi accused the organisation of prioritising men over woman and vowed to continue to speak up if males still compete in female categories. 

The free event sees thousands of athletes of varying ability take part in runs through parks and athletics courses across the UK every Saturday morning. 

But it has been mired in accusations it is unfair on women over its controversial entry rules allowing biological men to self-identify as females. 

Transgender athlete Lauren Jeska who was born a man has held both Aberystwyth’s ages 35-39 record and the outright female record since 2012, with a time of 17.38 minutes

Former fell-running champion Jeska was born Michael, pictured before transitioning in 2000

Parkrun had been listing Jeska as Aberystwyth’s female record holder, as this image shows

Historic data outlining the identity of the fastest male and female athlete to complete each 5km course has already been hidden from view for participants. 

Bosses have emailed local organisers warning them that reams of data outlining course records, the most first-place finishes, and age grade records will no longer be published. 

Ms Davies, the former Olympic swimmer, described Parkrun as ‘cowardly’ and said the organisation should instead add course records for trans athletes alongside the existing male and female records.

‘Rather than give females their fair sports results from Parkrun … they have removed from public view all records.

‘The vast majority want simple, fair sport for all based on the biological reality of the bodies we run / race / compete with.

‘The feelings of all females should never matter less than the feelings of a few trans-identifying males.’

She added on social media: ‘Keep sport fair for both sexes!’

Mara Yamauchi, a former British Olympic runner, accused Parkrun of ‘choosing to prioritise men who want to run as ‘female’ over fairness for females’.

She wrote on Twitter: ‘It will be interesting to see how Parkrunners react to all this data disappearing. I predict that a lot of men will be fed up about it.

Siân Longthorpe – a transgender woman who is biological male – completed the Porthcawl Parkrun in a record 18 minutes and 53 seconds in May in the women’s 45-49 age category

When registering, Parkrun runners are asked their gender, rather than sex, and are able to choose ‘prefer not to say’ and ‘another gender identity’ aside from male/female, as above

‘If males continue participating in [females] category (at least one did last Sat), I will continue speaking up.’

The decision has already upset sections of the running community.

One regular participant, who said she cancelled a regular donation to Parkrun in response, wrote on social media: ‘Donated since it started but I can’t bankroll an organisation that instead of correcting its poor gender policy, it hides the stats. What poor leadership.’

Parkrun has acknowledged its website was ‘an important source of information’ for participants, in an email to local organisers, seen by the Mail.

But it also said ‘some of the content we share and how we present it can be off-putting or create opportunities for misunderstanding’.

It added: ‘So in the coming days we will no longer publish data such as attendance records, course records, fastest finishers, most first finishes and age grade or category records.

‘The results pages for every event, your personalised results email and your individual profile pages will remain unchanged.’

A recent bombshell report by the right-wing think tank Policy Exchange released last month – backed by Olympians Martina Navratilova (left) and Sharron Davies (right) – said Parkun should have its Government funding cut if it fails to protect female runners from transgender rivals 

Daley Thompson, two-time Olympic gold medallist in the decathlon, also backed the report

A Parkrun spokeswoman said the changes were part of long-term strategy on inclusivity.

She said: ‘We try hard to make sure the information we share is consistent with our values, and that, in all that we do, we continue to find ways to remove barriers to registration and participation.

‘What was clear is that there was a disconnect between the performance data displayed so prominently on the site, and our mission to create opportunities for as many people as possible to take part in Parkrun events – especially those who are anxious about activities such as Parkrun, but who potentially have an enormous amount to gain.

‘Based on the conclusions and recommendations of the project group, we will no longer publish data such as most first finishes, sub 17 men and sub 20 women, and age grade or category speed records. 

‘Alongside these, as part of our ongoing data protection improvements, the search function has been removed.’

A graph in the Policy Exchange report which it said ‘demonstrates the steadily increasing number of female elite athletes participating in Olympic games’

The report said this table shows the ‘scale of male advantage within sports’, given that ‘every single world record in Track and Field held by a woman has been beaten by a teenage boy’

‘As we work towards the objectives set out in our five year strategy we’ll continue to take steps to ensure that everyone is able to enjoy Parkrun for what it is: a free community event and an opportunity to be active, social and outside in a non-competitive, inclusive and welcoming environment.’

It follows a recent bombshell report by the right-wing think tank Policy Exchange which found that three female Parkrun records were being held by runners who were born biologically male.

The report, backed by sports stars including former world number one tennis player Martina Navratilova, said the event should have its Government funding cut if it fails to protect female runners from transgender rivals.