International Olympic Committee bans transgender women from competing

March 26 (UPI) -- Transgender women are now banned from Olympic competition, according to a policy announced Thursday by the International Olympic Committee.

The IOC said the policy is not retroactive and will not apply to grassroots or recreational sports programs. but is applicable to the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will be based in Los Angeles, and future editions of the Olympics.

Transgender men are still permitted to compete and men's categories.

"The policy explains that, for all disciplines on the sports program of an IOC event, including the Olympic Games and for both individual and team sports, eligibility for any female category is limited to biological females," the committee said in a statement.

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The IOC said the "evidence-based and expert-informed" policy "protects fairness, safety and integrity in the female category." Eligibility for individual and team sports at the Olympics will now be limited to biological females, determined from a one-time SRY gene screening.

Transgender women were previously permitted to compete if they were cleared by their respective sports federations.

Thursday's ruling aligns with a 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump, which banned transgender women from competing in women's sports.

According to data from a Williams Institute study, 2.1 million adults -- or 0.8% of the population -- in the United States identify as transgender, with 33% of that total including transgender women.

While no comprehensive data exist for the total of transgender athletes in the United States or globally, NCAA president Charlie Baker told a Senate panel that the fewer than 10 -- or .001% -- of the nearly 554,300 athletes who competed in collegiate sports in 2024 were transgender.

SRY gene screenings will be taken from saliva, cheek swabs or blood samples. Athletes who produce a negative result for the SRY gene will "permanently satisfy" the policy's eligibility criteria for competing as females. Athletes who produce a positive result for the SRY gene will be ineligible to compete as females.

The IOC said the tests will be "once in a lifetime."

"As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition," IOC president Kirsty Coventry said. "The policy that we have announced is based on science and has been led by medical experts.

"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. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe."

The opening ceremony for the 2028 Summer Olympics will be held July 14, 2028, in Los Angeles.