Naples born Petrillo, 51, who competes in the women’s 100, 200 and 400 metre T12 class visually impaired sprint, made the comments to ANSA on Thursday.

“Donald Trump talks about things he doesn’t know: an athlete’s performance is not their testosterone,” Petrillo said.

“I can even understand it, maybe 20 years ago when information on the subject was difficult to find I would have thought like him, because that’s what society had led me to think.

“But the performance advantage hasn’t been proven and never will be, simply because it doesn’t exist.”

“Luckily, he doesn’t decide - the federations and the IOC (International Olympic Committee) decide.

“It’s as if [Italian PM] Meloni ordered the CONI (Italian Olympic Committee) not to let me compete among women anymore...

“It’s clear, he did what his voters wanted. It’s a political manifesto…

“In a certain sense, it’s equivalent to the position on Gaza, which should become a seaside resort.

“There, he speaks as a dictator, rather than a leader.

“In the case of sport, he speaks without knowing.”

Ineffective on Olympic and Paralympic athletes, the decision valid for US colleges still expresses “a worrying position” considering the already high level of anti-trans vitriol.

“There is a part of the world against [trans athletes], Trump is breaking down an open door and with this, the sporting ‘intolerance’ of those who believe in the simplest statement will increase,” claimed Petrillo.

Petrillo ran the 200 and 400 in Paris, without qualifying for the final.

“I am the first one willing to say, ‘Stop, I will not compete as long as it is scientifically proven that I have a performance advantage.’

“But this has never been proven and never can be, because it is not true.

“In fact, neither I nor the Olympian Laurel Hubbard, the only transgender athlete to have ever participated in the Games, have won.

“In fact, I did not even make the final. The Cuban who won the 400 has a personal best of 51”.

I, who now has a personal best of 56”67, I would not have done that time even when I was 20 years old...”

Different, the Italian athlete underlined, was the discussion on biological advantage.

“That exists in sports, but it is not between men and women.

“Every Olympic champion has a biological advantage: Phelps had it for his shoulders, Serena Williams for her strength, Thorpe for the length of his feet. So, what do we do?”