London, Nov 10, (PA Media/dpa/GNA) – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) says, “no decisions have been taken yet” amid reports transgender athletes could be banned from the female category in all Olympic events.
It was reported on Monday that athletes born male were set to be barred, after a scientific review found male advantages remained even after athletes took steps to reduce testosterone levels.
The formation of a working group looking at the protection of the female category, was one of the first acts of new IOC president Kirsty Coventry when she formally succeeded Thomas Bach in June.
The IOC confirmed on Monday that its medical and scientific director, Dr Jane Thornton, had updated IOC members last week on the initial findings of a scientific review, but a spokesperson said: “The working group is continuing its discussions on this topic, and no decisions have been taken yet. Further information will be provided in due course.”
The IOC has previously left other sports to set their own policies around transgender inclusion, with its 2021 framework stating there should be “no presumption of advantage” pertaining to trans athletes.
Coventry said in June, she hoped the new working group could “find consensus” and give all Olympic sports clear guidance.
Athletics and boxing have already introduced mandatory sex testing for athletes, wishing to enter their female categories.
Reports on Monday said the IOC’s new policy could be announced early next year, possibly at the IOC Session in Milan ahead of the Winter Olympics.
In February, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in female sports categories, a policy he intends to apply at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
Reports said it was likely athletes born with differences of sexual development (DSD), would also be barred from the female category in Olympic sports.
There was controversy at the 2024 Paris Olympics, when Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting won gold medals in the women’s boxing, a competition directly overseen by the IOC, despite having been disqualified from the previous year’s World Championships for allegedly failing to meet gender eligibility criteria.
Khelif has always insisted she was born a woman, has lived as a woman and has competed as a woman. World Boxing, which now oversees the sport at international level, has introduced mandatory sex testing.
GNA