This Thursday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced a profound change in its regulations: starting with the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028, only biological women will be able to compete in the women's categories, whose eligibility will be determined by a unique genetic test.
The new policy states that all athletes who aspire to participate in women's events must undergo a test to detect the presence of the SRY gene, linked to the development of male sexual characteristics. According to the body, this marker "is permanent and constituteshighly accurate proof that an athlete has experienced male sexual development”. This evaluation will be done only once in a lifetime.
As of Los Angeles 2028, trans athletes will not be allowed to compete
The decision marks a change from the position adopted in 2021, when the IOC had delegated regulation on the participation of transgender athletes to international federations. With the arrival of Kirsty Coventry to the presidency, the organization chose to move towards a unified approach after years of disparate regulations and debates
in elite sports.
“As a former athlete,I firmly believe in the right of all Olympic athletes to participate in fair competition. The policy we announced is based on science and has been developed by medical experts. In the Olympic Games, eventhe smallest margins can make the difference between victory and defeat. Therefore, it's absolutely clear that itwouldn't be fair for biological men to compete in the female category. Also, in some sports, it just wouldn't be safe,” Coventry said.
Coventry considered that it would be unfair for biological men to compete in women's categories
The IOC argued that the measure seeks to "guarantee fairness, safety and integrity in competition “, based on scientific studies reviewed between 2024 and 2026. In that analysis, the agency concluded that male sex implies performance advantages in disciplines that depend on strength, power and endurance, so that "to ensure fairness and protect safety, especially in contact sports,eligibility must be based on biological sex
”.
It should be clarified that the new regulations will not be retroactive and will not affect amateur or grassroots sports. With this resolution, the IOC establishes a global position on an issue that has generated controversy in recent years and redefines the conditions of access to the highest stage of
