The International Olympic Committee is preparing to draw a new line in the sand. A ban on transgender women competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Games is now seen as virtually certain, marking a major shift in how the Olympics will handle gender and fairness in sport. The rule would apply across all events, replacing the current system that allows each federation to set its own testosterone limits..New IOC president Kirsty Coventry, who campaigned on protecting the female category, is said to be driving the change.Sources inside the movement describe the decision as the “direction of travel,” although it will not take effect before next February’s Winter Olympics in Italy.A formal announcement could come early next year, but insiders expect the approval process to take several more months..The new approach would eliminate scenarios like that of New Zealand’s Laurel Hubbard, who competed in weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics after transitioning in 2012.Coventry’s team views the move as a necessary step to restore clarity and avoid further political flashpoints, especially with the United States now enforcing a federal ban on transgender women in female sports under President Donald Trump.IOC medical and science director Dr. Jane Thornton briefed members in Lausanne last week on the scientific and ethical issues surrounding transgender and DSD (differences of sexual development) athletes..The presentation stopped short of proposing formal rules but signaled growing momentum toward a uniform policy.An IOC statement confirmed that no decisions have been finalized, saying only that “the working group is continuing its discussions.”The DSD issue remains even murkier. Athletes with male chromosomes but raised as female, such as Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, sparked outrage at the Paris 2024 Games after both won boxing gold medals despite prior disqualifications for failing gender eligibility tests..Their participation, approved by an IOC committee that included Coventry, drew criticism from athletes and fans who argued that women’s categories were being compromised.Officials expect that the DSD question will also be revisited, though it faces internal resistance.Any eventual changes are likely to take longer to implement, with no immediate timetable in place..Still, the direction appears clear.The IOC is moving toward stricter rules that define who can compete in women’s events, a shift that will reshape the Olympic landscape for years to come.
