The IOC has decided to ban men who claim to be women from competing in the women's categories of its competitions
The political support for this decision also comes from Washington. In February, President Donald Trump signed the "Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports" executive order, which bans the participation of trans women in women's competitions nationwide.
The president defended the measure as "a victory for real women and fairness in sports." He also urged the IOC to ensure that the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games reflect this same position on fairness.
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has already modified its eligibility policy in July to align with the presidential order, thereby reinforcing the consistency of the American Olympic movement and adding international pressure on the IOC.
Although some sectors within the Olympic movement raise questions about how to address cases of athletes with differences in sexual development (DSD), most sports federations, from athletics to swimming, agree that preserving the women's category exclusively for biological women is essential to maintain the integrity of competition.
Coventry has insisted that the measure doesn't seek to exclude, but rather to guarantee fairness in sports. "Inclusion can't mean a disadvantage for women," she stated in a recent interview. Her position has been met with support from thousands of athletes, former athletes, and associations that defend women's sports, who maintain that "recognizing biological differences is not discrimination, it's common sense."
With the support of the scientific community, the political momentum from Washington, and the determination of its new president, the IOC is moving toward a decision that could mark a turning point in the history of modern sports: ensuring that women compete on equal terms, protecting the spirit of women's sports against external ideological pressures.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is taking decisive steps toward a historic decision: banning the participation of transgender individuals in the women's category at the Olympic Games.
The measure, which could become official before the Los Angeles 2028 Games, aims to guarantee fairness in women's sports and has broad scientific support, in addition to the political backing of the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
The new IOC president, Kirsty Coventry, has made the "protection of the women's category" one of her priorities since taking office.
Internal sources confirm that Coventry is determined to fulfill her campaign promise and establish a regulatory framework that ensures women's competitions are exclusively for biological women. The formal announcement could be made in the coming months, although the rule is expected to take effect by mid-2026.
In a recent meeting with IOC members, Dr. Jane Thornton, the organization's director of health, medicine, and science, presented a report detailing how the effects of male puberty, such as greater bone density, muscle mass, and lung capacity, provide permanent advantages that can't be fully reversed by hormone treatments. "The science is clear: those who have gone through male puberty retain significant physical advantages," summarized an attendee at the meeting.
Coventry and her team seek to follow the example of federations like World Athletics, which have already implemented firm policies to preserve competitive fairness. Among the measures being considered by the IOC is the adoption of genetic tests, such as the "SRY" test for detecting male chromosomes, which would allow for an objective determination of each athlete's eligibility.
