The International Olympic Committee has said the decision is “evidence-based and expert-informed”
The International Olympic Committee has barred transgender athletes from competing in women’s categories at the Olympic Games as part of its new eligibility policy, describing the decision as “evidence-based and expert-informed.”
The IOC’s previous framework allowed transgender participation on the condition of reduced testosterone levels.
The participation of transgender athletes in sport has been a source of global controversy, with cases such as US swimmer Lia Thomas and New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard prompting debate over potential competitive advantages.
During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, previously ruled ineligible for the World Championships under gender criteria, won gold, highlighting ongoing disputes over eligibility standards. At the time, then-IOC President Thomas Bach said there was “no scientifically solid system” to distinguish between male and female categories in sport.
The revised policy, unveiled on Thursday, follows a scientific review concluding that some physical advantages associated with male puberty, such as greater muscle mass and larger cardiovascular capacity, may persist even after testosterone levels are medically reduced.
”At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe,” IOC President Kirsty Coventry, a former Olympic swimmer, said in a statement.
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The new rules will take effect at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The move aligns with a broader policy shift in the US, where President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from women’s sports, and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee adopted similar restrictions last year.
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