The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is advancing toward implementing a comprehensive ban on transgender athletes participating in women's categories at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics. Under the leadership of newly elected president Kirsty Coventry, the organisation is shifting to a firmer stance on gender eligibility, marking a significant departure from previous policies.
Fallout from Paris 2024 Boxing Controversy
The catalyst for this stricter approach stems from the highly publicised gender eligibility dispute during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. A major controversy erupted concerning two boxers—Algeria's Imane Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting—who were initially suspended by the International Boxing Association (IBA) for allegedly failing gender eligibility tests. The IOC, which had taken over running the Olympic boxing tournament, ultimately cleared both athletes to compete, and both proceeded to win gold medals.
This decision generated substantial backlash and prolonged debate, prompting numerous international sporting federations to tighten their own gender eligibility regulations in the aftermath. The IOC itself faced widespread criticism for its handling of the situation and its perceived lack of clear leadership on the complex issue of transgender participation in elite sports.
Shift in IOC Policy Under New Leadership
Former IOC president Thomas Bach largely avoided establishing a firm, unified position on transgender athletes, instead allowing individual sports governing bodies to develop their own policies. In 2021, the IOC released a ten-point document outlining guiding principles, which included statements that athletes should not face targeted testing based on sex or gender identity and that any restrictions should be evidence-based.
However, the election of Kirsty Coventry as IOC president in March 2025 signalled a decisive change in direction. In June 2025, Coventry stated that measures designed to protect competitive fairness in the female category had received "overwhelming support" from IOC members. She emphasised that while differences might exist between sports, there was full agreement on the need to prioritise the protection of the female category.
Working Group and Timeline for New Rules
A dedicated working group was subsequently established to formulate a clear stance and specific rules governing women's sport. By December 2025, the IOC had set an ambitious target of early 2026 to introduce a new, comprehensive policy on gender eligibility. Coventry expressed hope that a "very clear decision and way forward" would be reached within the first quarter of 2026.
Despite this timeline, no official criteria or announcements have been published as of yet. With the 2026 Winter Olympics scheduled to commence on 6 February in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, it appears increasingly unlikely that any new IOC-wide policy will be implemented before the Games begin. Consequently, it is expected that international sporting federations will continue to determine gender eligibility based on their own pre-existing rules for the upcoming Winter Olympics, much as they have at previous Games.
This ongoing development places the IOC at the centre of a global debate balancing inclusion, competitive fairness, and the evolving understanding of gender identity in elite athletics. The final policy, when announced, will have profound implications for transgender athletes aspiring to compete on the world's biggest sporting stage.
