International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved a sweeping new eligibility policy that will exclude transgender women from competing in women’s events at future Olympic Games, starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Under the new rules, participation in female categories will be limited to “biological females,” with eligibility determined through a one-time mandatory gene test. The IOC said the policy is intended to “protect fairness, safety and integrity” in women’s competition.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said the move aims to create clear, consistent standards across all Olympic sports, replacing the previous system where individual federations set their own rules.
The policy also affects some athletes with differences in sex development (DSD), including Olympic champion Caster Semenya, whose case has been central to debates over eligibility and natural testosterone levels in women’s sports.
The IOC cited scientific findings that male puberty confers lasting physical advantages in strength, endurance, and power. It said screening for the SRY gene—linked to male biological development—is currently the “most accurate and least intrusive” method available.
The decision aligns with earlier actions by some international sports bodies and echoes policies promoted by Donald Trump, whose administration issued an executive order restricting transgender participation in women’s sports ahead of the 2028 Games.
While the IOC emphasized the policy will not apply retroactively or to grassroots sports, it is expected to draw criticism from human rights groups and advocates, adding to an already contentious global debate over inclusion and fairness in athletics.