World Athletics was accused of "succumbing to political pressure" after ruling male-to-female transgender competitors who have been through male puberty will be prevented from competing in women's elite events.
There was also praise for its stance, notably from former Olympians including swimmer Sharron Davies and decathlon great Daley Thompson.
The global governing body for track and field announced its decision on Thursday, and it will come into force from March 31.
World Athletics said it had spoken to a wide range of stakeholders before reaching its conclusion, with president Sebastian Coe saying: "Decisions are always difficult when they involve conflicting needs and rights between different groups, but we continue to take the view that we must maintain fairness for female athletes above all other considerations.
"We will be guided in this by the science around physical performance and male advantage which will inevitably develop over the coming years. As more evidence becomes available, we will review our position, but we believe the integrity of the female category in athletics is paramount."
Davies responded on Twitter, writing: "Thank you @sebcoe & @WorldAthletics for standing up for female athletes across the world who are worthy of fair sport"
Thompson added: "@sebcoe & @WorldAthletics have just given me another couple of reasons to love them."
The LGBTQ+ campaign group Stonewall took a different perspective, stating: "It is so disappointing to see World Athletics announce a unilateral ban on trans women in track and field events. Their own statement recognises that there are no trans women competing at an international level and that they have no specific evidence to justify the ban.
"We stand with trans people who now have the door closed on their chance to compete in athletic sports at an international level."
Athlete Ally, a US-based group which states its aim is to "champion LGBTQI+ equality", was also critical of the stance taken by World Athletics.
Its founder Hudson Taylor said: "We are beyond devastated to see World Athletics succumbing to political pressure instead of core principles of inclusion, fairness and non-discrimination for transgender athletes and athletes with intersex traits.
"The guidelines announced today go against inclusive guidelines from the International Olympic Committee as well as extensive research showing that transgender women do not have an inherent advantage in sport.
"Sebastian Coe states that these guidelines are an attempt to protect women's sport, but in fact these guidelines do nothing to address what we know to be the actual, proven threats to women's sports: unequal pay, rampant sexual abuse and harassment, lack of women in leadership and inequities in resources for women athletes.
"What these guidelines mean on a human level is that a young transgender girl who dreams of one day seeing herself on an Olympic stage will now have those dreams cruelly dashed."
While World Athletics says it has extensive research on athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD), it says its bank of information regarding transgender athletes is not as great.
It said: "There are currently no transgender athletes competing internationally in athletics and consequently no athletics-specific evidence of the impact these athletes would have on the fairness of female competition in athletics. In these circumstances, the council decided to prioritise fairness and the integrity of the female competition before inclusion."
UK Athletics bans transgender women from competing in female category
UK Athletics has banned transgender women from competing in the female categories of their United Kingdom competitions and events.
The ban comes a week after World Athletics announced their own outlawing of male-to-female transgender competitors who have been through male puberty competing in women's elite events.
The move received support from former Olympians such as swimmer Sharron Davies and decathlon great Daley Thompson, though it also came under fire from some LGBTQ+ campaign groups.
Both bans will come into force from March 31.
"UK Athletics notes the revised World Athletics Eligibility Regulations for Transgender Athletes released on 23 March 2023 and coming into effect on 31 March 2023," a statement read.
"It is fair for athletes who have gone through male puberty to be excluded from the female category in Athletics.
"UK Athletics acknowledges and appreciates the efforts made by World Athletics to protect the female category in Athletics.
"From midnight on 31 March 2023, UK Athletics applies the World Athletics Transgender Regulations to all athletics competitions and events in the United Kingdom where the licence for the competition or event is granted by UK Athletics."
Revolutionary Olympic high jumper Dick Fosbury dies aged 76
Olympic gold medallist Dick Fosbury, who revolutionised the high jump with his 'Fosbury Flop' technique, has died at the age of 76.
Fosbury won a gold medal for the United States at the 1968 games in Mexico City using a novel back-first technique that is commonplace among high jumpers today.
By clearing 2.24 metres with the technique – which he began to experiment with in school – in the event's final, Fosbury set a then-Olympic and United States record.
Fosbury's agent Ray Schulte confirmed his death on Instagram on Monday, writing: "It is with a very heavy heart I have to release the news that longtime friend and client Dick Fosbury passed away peacefully in his sleep early Sunday morning after a short bout with a recurrence of lymphoma."
USA Track & Field, the nation's athletics governing body, called Fosbury "a true legend and innovator" on Twitter, adding: "Fosbury's legacy will live on for generations to come."
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach also paid tribute, saying: "Dick Fosbury wrote unforgettable Olympic history by revolutionising the high jump at the Olympic Games Mexico 1968.
"The games would never be the same again after he won the gold medal at those games, 'flopping' across the bar.
"Dick Fosbury was always true to the Olympic values and served the Olympic movement in a number of functions, including as president of the World Olympians Association.
"He will forever be remembered as an outstanding Olympic champion. Our thoughts are with his family and friends."
Ukraine athletes accuse IOC of 'being on the wrong side of history' amid Russian athlete row
Ukraine's athletes have accused the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of "being on the wrong side of history" amid the latter's stance on Russian athletes at Paris 2024.
Ukraine, who were invaded by their neighbours last year, were incensed by the IOC examining whether to allow representatives from Russia and Belarus to compete under a neutral flag in next year's global showpiece.
IOC president Thomas Bach criticised threats made by Ukraine to subsequently boycott the Games as a violation of the Olympic charter, further angering the nation.
In a statement issued in conjunction with union Global Athlete, the country's National Olympic Committee accused the IOC of allowing Russia to sportswash its crimes.
"The IOC is rewarding [Russian president Vladimir] Putin's aggression while the death and destruction of his victims are being ignored," they wrote. "The IOC must choose a side in this war.
"The Russian state [used] its home Olympic Games in 2014, along with a state-sponsored doping program, to build goodwill both at home and abroad before annexing Crimea.
"In 2022 it did the same, using the Beijing Games to strengthen its bond with China before invading Ukraine.
"Russia has promoted athletes to prominent positions in the armed forces and touted athletic success as signs of Russian superiority.
"These actions have been possible because Russia has manipulated and controlled the governing bodies of sport to its advantage.
"The IOC continues to be on the wrong side of history. Sponsors, host cities, and national governments must stop tolerating the IOC's kowtowing to Russia."
The statement comes after former Olympic medallist and current world heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk urged the IOC to uphold bans against Russian and Belarusian athletes.
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