The International Olympic Committee has officially adopted a policy restricting eligibility in women’s events at the Olympic Games to athletes classified as biological females, a move expected to bar most transgender women from competing in female categories beginning with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.Under the new rule, athletes must pass a one‑time genetic screening that checks for the SRY gene — a marker typically found in those who have undergone male puberty — to qualify for the female category. Those who test positive for the gene will be excluded from women’s events unless they fall under rare medical exemptions such as certain differences of sex development (DSDs) that do not confer a testosterone‑related physical advantage.IOC President Kirsty Coventry defended the policy, saying it is rooted in scientific research on physical advantages believed to be retained after male puberty and is aimed at preserving fairness and safety in elite competition. .The governing body stated the rule does not apply to grassroots or recreational sport but is specific to Olympic‑level events.The decision reverses decades of evolving inclusion policies. Since the early 2000s, transgender athletes have been permitted to compete under varying conditions, including guidelines that allowed transgender women to participate in female events if they met hormone thresholds. That approach is now being replaced by universal criteria enforced directly by the IOC, rather than relying on individual sports federations to set their own rules.The move has drawn both support and sharp criticism. Proponents argue the change protects competitive fairness in women’s sport, while opponents — including human rights groups and some medical experts — warn mandatory genetic or sex verification testing carries ethical concerns and could unfairly exclude or stigmatize athletes, including some cis women with intersex traits.The IOC’s announcement comes amid broader global debate over transgender participation in women’s sports and aligns with similar policies emerging in national governing bodies and legislative efforts abroad.
