The International Olympic Committee has announced that transgender women and athletes with differences in sex development (DSD) will be banned from competing in the female category at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and all future Games. The decision, confirmed by IOC President Kirsty Coventry, is based on scientific evidence aimed at protecting fairness and safety in women's sport.
Coventry stated that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category, citing performance advantages gained through male puberty. The IOC's new policy includes a one-off SRY gene screening test, typically via a cheek swab or saliva sample, to determine an athlete's biological sex. This applies to elite individual and team sports, but not grassroots or recreational programmes.
The IOC's 10-page document highlights that XY transgender athletes and those with XY-DSD retain advantages such as 10-12% better performance in running and swimming, and over 20% in throwing and jumping events. It argues that the Olympic movement has a compelling interest in maintaining a sex-based female category to ensure fairness, safety, and integrity.
The decision has drawn mixed reactions. The charity Sex Matters welcomed the move, with interim chair Emma Hilton calling it a simple, non-invasive check that returns female sport to female athletes. However, Dsdfamilies expressed disappointment, warning that eligibility rules must be proportionate and avoid harm to vulnerable minority groups.
