The International Olympic Committee announced a sweeping change to its participation rules on Thursday, officially barring transgender women from competing in female categories. The decision creates a uniform eligibility standard that aligns with U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent executive order on women’s sports as the committee prepares for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The new policy shifts the focus from hormone levels to genetic markers. According to the committee, the female division will now be reserved exclusively for those who meet specific biological criteria verified through medical testing.
“Eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females,” the International Olympic Committee said in a statement. The organization noted that this status will be “determined on the basis of a one‑time SRY gene screening.”
The SRY gene is a specific DNA unit generally responsible for the initiation of male sex determination. By requiring this screening, the IOC is establishing a definitive biological baseline for all entrants in women’s events across both individual and team sports.
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The move brings international Olympic regulations into lockstep with current U.S. federal policy regarding the definition of sex in competitive athletics.
While the ruling represents a significant pivot in sports governance, the number of athletes currently affected remains small.
Records indicate that no transgender women competed in the 2024 Paris Summer Games, and it is currently unclear how many transgender athletes are currently training at the elite Olympic level worldwide.
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