The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned transgender women from competing in women’s sports events at the Olympics, aligning with President Donald Trump’s position on the issue ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games in the United States.

In a statement on Thursday, the committee said that both women’s individual and team sports at the Olympics or any of IOC’s competitions would be strictly limited to biological females going forward. 

“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 IOC said. “Following today’s approval of the policy by the IOC Executive Board, it will apply for the LA28 Olympic Games onwards, and is not retroactive.”

The committee argued that the decision followed  scientific evidence showing that the SRY gene (Y chromosome), responsible for triggering male characteristics in an embryo, cannot be altered throughout life. 

“Based on scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the presence of the SRY gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced male sex development. Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods.

“Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently satisfy this policy’s eligibility criteria for competition in the female category. Unless there is reason to believe that a negative reading is in error, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime test,” the committee stated. 

However, the IOC noted that exemptions would only be given to women with sex development disorders but derive no performance-enhancing advantage from testosterone. 

“With the rare exception of athletes with a diagnosis of Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) or other rare differences/disorders in sex development (DSDs) who do not benefit from the anabolic and/or performance-enhancing effects of testosterone, no athlete with an SRY-positive screen is eligible for competition in the female category at an IOC event,” the committee added. 



Speaking about the policy, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said she believes in fairness among all competitors as a former athlete herself.

She maintained that the smallest couldb sometimes be the difference between a win and a defeat in competitions. 

“As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition. The policy that we have announced is based on science and has been led by medical experts. 

“At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe,” Ms Coventry stated.