The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is getting ready to ban transgender women from participating in all women’s sporting categories, according to reports. Thenew policy is expected to be officially announced early next year, The Times reported, citing sources. The rule is widely expected to take effect by the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
However, it’s still unclear whether athletes with differences in sexual development (DSD) will also face restrictions, following the controversy that arose during the boxing events at the 2024 Paris Olympics. At present, each sport’s governing body has the authority to decide whether transgender women can compete, as long as their testosterone levels remain below a specific threshold.
Transgenders Not Allowed
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Sources told The Times that the decision comes after the IOC conducted a science-based review examining the physical advantages that biologically male athletes may have. The IOC’s medical and scientific director, Dr. Jane Thornton, presented the findings during a private meeting held last week.
“It was a very scientific, factual and unemotional presentation which quite clearly laid out the evidence,” a source told the outlet.
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Under the current policy, transgender women have been allowed to compete in women’s categories if their testosterone levels are lowered, though the final decision has been left to each sport’s governing body.
The upcoming universal ban follows a pledge made earlier this year by the IOC’s new president, Kirsty Coventry, who promised to safeguard the integrity of women’s sports.
All Out Support for New Rule
“We understand there will be differences depending on the sports. We should make the effort to place emphasis on the protection of the female category and we should ensure that this is done in consensus with all the stakeholders,” Coventry, an ex-Olympic swimmer from Zimbabwe, said at the time.
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“But we need to do that with a scientific approach and the inclusion of the international federations who have already done a lot of work in this area.”
She said that there was “unanimous” agreement among committee members on the need to update and clarify the policy.
“It was very clear from the membership, the discussion around this has to be done with medical and scientific research at the core, so we are looking at the facts and the nuances and the inclusion of the international federations that have done so much of this work … having a seat at the table and sharing with us because every sport is different,” Coventry said.
“But it was pretty much unanimously felt that the IOC should take a leading role in bringing everyone together to try and find a broad consensus.”
It remains unclear whether the new policy will be put in place before the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
The next Summer Olympics are scheduled to take place in Los Angeles in 2028.
