.svg)
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a major policy shift, stating that transgender women will no longer be eligible to compete in female events across all Olympic competitions.
Under the new regulations, participation in women’s categories at the Olympic Games and other IOC-sanctioned events will be limited to biological females. The policy will take effect starting with the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. However, the IOC clarified that the rule will not be applied retroactively and will not affect grassroots or recreational sports programs.
In its official statement, the IOC emphasized that the decision is aimed at “protecting fairness, safety, and integrity in the female category.” To determine eligibility, the organization will implement a one-time genetic test focusing on the SRY gene, which it says provides reliable evidence of male biological development.
The move aligns with recent policies introduced by Donald Trump, particularly his executive order addressing women’s sports in the United States ahead of the upcoming Olympic Games.
Despite the sweeping nature of the change, it remains unclear how many transgender women currently compete at the Olympic level. Notably, no openly transgender woman who transitioned from male at birth participated in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The newly published 10-page IOC policy also affects certain athletes with differences in sex development (DSD), including high-profile competitors such as Caster Semenya. These athletes may now face additional eligibility restrictions under the updated framework.
The IOC, led by its president Kirsty Coventry, has been pushing for a unified global policy rather than allowing individual sports federations to set their own rules. Coventry initiated a comprehensive review of female category eligibility shortly after assuming leadership, marking one of her first major decisions.
The issue of fairness in women’s sports has been increasingly debated in recent years. Even before the 2024 Olympics, several major sports bodies—including those governing athletics, swimming, and cycling—had already implemented restrictions on transgender women who experienced male puberty.
According to the IOC’s research, biological males undergo multiple stages of testosterone exposure throughout life, contributing to physical advantages in strength, endurance, and overall athletic performance. The organization argues that these factors support the need for clearer eligibility standards in elite competition.
The policy marks a significant turning point in international sports governance, as the IOC seeks to standardize rules and address ongoing debates surrounding gender identity and competitive fairness.
