The Olympic rings at the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee, IOC, Lausanne, Switzerland. Alamy Stock Photo

Olympics bans transgender women from competing in female categories from 2028

The International Olympic Committee will require all women to undergo gene screening to confirm their gender.

THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC Committee (IOC) has banned transgender women from competing in all female categories from 2028 onwards.

A screening process will be used to ensure only women whose gender was assigned as female at birth will be able to enter female categories for both individual and team sports.

The new rule will apply from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics onwards but will not apply retroactively. 

Eligibility for the female category is to be determined by SRY gene screening, a molecular genetic test carried out via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample.

The IOC originally approved the participation of transgender athletes in the Olympics in 2004, however, only a very small number of openly transgender athletes have competed in the Olympics.

Speaking about the policy, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said: “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition. 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.

“Every athlete must be treated with dignity and respect, and athletes will need to be screened only once in their lifetime. There must be clear education around the process and counselling available, alongside expert medical advice.”

Written by Sophie Finn and posted on TheJournal.ie

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