LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Beginning with the 2028 event in Los Angeles, transgender women athletes will be banned from the Olympics under a policy announced by the International Olympic Committee Thursday.
According to the IOC, the policy limits eligibility in both individual and team sports to “biological females.”
“As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition,” IOC President Kirsty Coventry said in a statement. “The policy that we have announced is based on science and has been led by medical experts. 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.
“Every athlete must be treated with dignity and respect, and athletes will need to be screened only once in their lifetime. There must be clear education around the process and counseling available, alongside expert medical advice.”
To enforce the policy, female athletes will be screened for the presence of the SRY gene, which, according to the IOC, “represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced male sex development.”
The screening will be done via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample.
It was unclear if any transgender women are currently competing at a level of possible Olympic eligibility. The Los Angeles Times reported that no transgender women competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The new policy aligns with President Donald Trump’s executive order last year barring any transgender athletes from competing in female sporting events.
According to the IOC, the policy was developed following extensive study that began in September 2024 and continued through March of this year.
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