The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a ban on transgender women from competing as females from the 2028 Games.
As per new eligibility criteria for IOC events for any female category, only biological women are allowed to participate, with an athlete's status determined by a one-time screening process.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), IOC president Kirsty Coventry stated in a video, "Today, we the International Olympic Committee have published a policy on the protection of the female category.”
"I understand that this is a very sensitive topic. As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition.”
"The policy that we have announced is based on science and it has been led by medical experts with the best interests of athletes at its heart. The scientific evidence is very clear – male chromosomes give performance advantages in sports that rely on strength, power or endurance," Kirsty added.
The screening process will test for the SRY gene – a gene located on the Y chromosome that initiates male sex determination – via saliva, cheek swab or by conducting blood sample.
The latest policy also excludes athletes who were looking to compete in female categories with differences in sex development (DSDs).
The decision comes after an IOC review conducted between September 2024 and this month, with experts and athletes consultations.
There was a massive controversy at the Paris Olympics in 2024 about boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, both of whom allegedly failed sex verification tests but still led towards victory.
Coventry further said, "At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat, so it’s 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.
