Following an 18-month consultation phase, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has determined that only biological female athletes will now be eligible to compete in women’s category events at the Olympic Games.
The athletes wanting to compete in female category events from the 2028 Olympics onwards will undergo an SRY gene-screening test to check their eligibility. SRY stands for sex determining region Y gene.
This policy applies for the Olympic Games, Youth Olympics and Games qualifiers.
This new change now stops transgender athletes from competing in female category events at the Olympics. They were previously eligible to compete once cleared by their respective federations.
It is expected to be widely adopted by international sports federations and to become a universal standard for competitors in elite women’s sports. The policy follows years of fragmented regulations that led to significant controversies.
In a statement the IOC said, “Based on scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the presence of the SRY gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced male sex development.”
This change comes from new IOC president Kirsty Coventry who took the role in June 2025.
“At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat,” Coventry said.
“So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports, it would simply not be safe.
“Safety on the field of play and fairness. One of the things we like to see in sport is fair and equal treatment of everyone on that field of play. Those are the two personal reasons I felt very strongly about this.”
The IOC said exceptions will be made for rare cases of sex development, saying “With the rare exception of athletes with a diagnosis of complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) or other rare differences/disorders in sex development (DSDs) who do not benefit from the anabolic and/or performance-enhancing effects of testosterone, no athlete with an SRY-positive screen is eligible for competition in the female category at an IOC event.”
Some major sports federations have already introduced rules or gender testing policies for women’s competition, while others remain undecided, prompting debate over consistency and fairness.
Advocacy groups strongly oppose these measures, arguing they risk discrimination, harassment, and harm to athletes.
Source: ABC News
