Starting from the 2028 Los Angeles (LA) Olympics, transgender women will be barred from competing in women’s events.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced this decision following an executive committee meeting on Thursday. The new policy stipulates that only biological females will be eligible to participate in women’s categories at the Olympics and all IOC-organized events.
The IOC further explained that athletes will undergo a one-time genetic test to determine their gender. All competitors must be tested for the SRY gene, a part of the Y chromosome responsible for developing male characteristics. A negative test result will permanently qualify an athlete for women’s events.
The committee clarified that this policy will not be applied retroactively and will not affect amateur or recreational sports programs.
In the past, the IOC lacked a unified standard for transgender athlete participation in the Olympics. In 2021, they delegated the responsibility of creating guidelines to individual sports organizations.
However, Kirsty Coventry, who assumed the role of IOC Chair last June, reversed this stance, announcing that the IOC would take the lead in establishing a unified standard.
Coventry argued that in elite sports, the slightest differences can determine the outcome. It’s unfair for biological males to compete in women’s categories. She also pointed out potential safety concerns in certain sports.