The International Olympic Committee has announced that transgender women and athletes with differences in sex development (DSD) will be barred from competing in the female category at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and future Games. IOC President Kirsty Coventry stated the decision was made because 'it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category'. The new policy applies to elite individual and team sports.
Under the new rules, all athletes wishing to compete in the female category must undergo a one-off SRY gene screening, typically via a cheek swab or saliva test, to determine biological sex. Coventry emphasised that the policy, based on scientific evidence and led by medical experts, aims to protect fairness and safety in women's sport. 'Even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat,' she said, adding that in some sports, it would simply not be safe.
The IOC's 10-page policy document notes that transgender women and DSD athletes retain advantages from male puberty, citing a 10-12% performance advantage in running and swimming, over 20% in throwing and jumping, and more than 100% in explosive power events. It states that XY athletes typically have testosterone levels in the male range and are androgen-sensitive, using that testosterone during development and athletic careers. The Olympic movement has a 'compelling interest' in a sex-based female category for fairness, safety, and integrity.
The decision has drawn mixed reactions. Charity Sex Matters welcomed the move, with interim chair Emma Hilton calling SRY screening 'a simple, non-invasive, once-in-a-lifetime check that returns female sport to female athletes'. However, Dsdfamilies expressed disappointment, with spokesperson Ellie Magritte arguing that eligibility rules must be proportionate and avoid harm to vulnerable minority groups. The policy applies only to elite sport, not grassroots or recreational programmes.
