Over the years the International Olympic Committee has dealt with the issue of women in various sporting events; most notably track and field events where athletes who were born female but tested positive for elevated testosterone levels.
On March 26, the IOC has issued a new mandate dealing specifically with transgender females. “Eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females.”
The IOC stated that eligibility will be determined by a mandatory gene test once in an athlete’s career.
There has been only one instance of a transgender female participating in the past two Olympic Games – weightlifter Laurel Hubbard at the Tokyo Games and did not win any medals.
Set to take effect at the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, the IOC said the policy, “protects fairness, safety and integrity in the female category.”
The Olympic Charter states, “access to play sport is a human right.”
The IOC added, “it is not retroactive and does not apply to any grassroots or recreational sports programs.”
The 10 page policy includes the restriction of female athletes who have a medical condition known as differences in sex development, or DSD. Track and field athlete Caster Semenya holds two Olympic gold medals but has been in a fight with the IOC over her eligibility to participate in The Games for a number of years.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry noted, “we know that this topic is sensitive”.
The two time Olympic gold medal winning swimmer added, “at the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category.”
The first female IOC President, Coventry said, “this was a priority for me way before President Trump came into his second term. There’s not been any pressure (on) us to deliver anything from anybody outside of the Olympic Movement.”
While men who wish to make a gender change got through extensive gene therapy and are injected with estrogen, the IOC states that athletes who are born male retain a physical advantage when it comes to athletic competition.
The ruling is expected to be challenged by activist groups and human rights experts.
Athletes like Indian track athlete Dutee Chand and Caster Semenya have used the Court of Arbitration for Sport to challenge IOC policy.
Coventry noted, “as we know in today’s world, any and all rules and regulations at any point in time could always be challenged.”