IOC Bars Transgender Women from Female Olympic Categories in 2028

The International Olympic Committee announced a new eligibility policy on Thursday that bars transgender women from competing in female categories at the Olympic Games and other IOC events, effective starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The policy limits participation in women's individual and team sports to biological females, as determined by a one-time genetic test screening for the SRY gene, which indicates male sex development.

The decision, outlined in a 10-page document released after an executive board meeting, aims to protect fairness, safety and integrity in the female category. The IOC stated that the policy is based on scientific research showing retained physical advantages for those born male, including performance gaps of 10 to 12 percent in running and swimming events, more than 20 percent in throwing and jumping, and over 100 percent in explosive power sports like collision or lifting. Experts cited three key testosterone peaks in males—in utero, during infancy and from adolescence onward—as contributing to these advantages in strength, power and endurance-based events.

The SRY gene test, conducted via a non-intrusive saliva sample, cheek swab or blood...