Sources indicate that the International Olympic Committee plans to reveal an updated policy early in the coming year.
According to sources cited by The Times, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is preparing to exclude transgender women from participating in women’s Olympic competitions through an updated eligibility framework.
This initiative would represent a significant departure from the IOC’s existing stance, which permits transgender athletes to compete if their testosterone levels are lowered, and delegates specific eligibility rules to individual sports federations. The proposed alteration is reportedly associated with Kirsty Coventry, elected as the new IOC President in March and the first woman to lead the organization. She has committed to “safeguarding the female category.”
The Monday report suggests that the IOC is anticipated to declare this policy revision early in the next year, potentially coinciding with its meeting during the Winter Olympics in February.
This proposed amendment is purportedly informed by a scientific study on transgender athletes, which concluded that physical benefits associated with male birth may endure even after medical reduction of testosterone. Jane Thornton, the committee’s medical and scientific director, presented these conclusions to IOC members last week, where they were met with “considerable approval,” according to a source.
The involvement of transgender athletes in women’s sports continues to be a disputed subject. Instances involving individuals like American swimmer Lia Thomas and New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard ignited discussions regarding potential unfair advantages these competitors might hold over biological females. In 2021, the IOC stated that there should be “no assumption of advantage” for transgender women, and subsequently, a year later, it delegated the authority to individual federations to formulate their own guidelines. Several organizations have since implemented stricter regulations.
The 2024 Paris Olympics further intensified this debate, attracting criticism concerning various controversies and an opening ceremony that showcased homosexuals, transsexuals, and drag queens performing a Bacchanalian scene reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci’s renowned fresco, ‘The Last Supper.’ In women’s boxing, Algerian competitor Imane Khelif, who was previously deemed ineligible for the World Championships due to her gender, secured a gold medal by defeating Italy’s Angela Carini. Carini conceded the bout after only 45 seconds, exclaiming “this is unfair!” and stating she had received hits more forceful than any prior experience, fearing a broken nose.
Then-IOC President Thomas Bach had maintained that, at that point, no “scientifically robust methodology” existed for differentiating between men and women in athletic competitions.