New Delhi: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided that transgender women will no longer be allowed to compete in women’s events at the Olympics starting from the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The move brings stricter eligibility rules, stipulating that only biological females can take part, with a one-time mandatory genetic test to confirm this.The International Olympic Committee said the change was to ensure fair competition. “Eligibility for any women’s category event at the Olympics or any other IOC event… is now restricted to biological females only,” the agency said. The policy is not retroactive and will not affect grassroots sport and is intended to “protect the fairness, safety and integrity of women’s sports”.IOC President Kirsty Coventry supported the decision, saying: “At the Olympics, even the smallest gap can make the difference between victory and defeat… It would be unfair for a biological male to compete in the female category.”The IOC also noted that research shows that being born male can provide lasting physical advantages, particularly in strength, endurance and power sports. Genetic testing to check for the SRY gene has been described as “the most accurate and least invasive method currently available”.The new rules will also affect some athletes with differences in sex development (DSD), such as runner Caster Semenya. The IOC wants a clear, unified policy rather than leaving decisions to individual sports bodies, many of which have already imposed similar restrictions.The decision comes amid growing global debate and follows a US executive order pushing for stricter rules in women’s sports. While the IOC says the policy ensures fairness, it is expected to face criticism from human rights groups and activists.
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