The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that, moving forward, only athletes confirmed to be biological females through a one-time genetic screening will be allowed to compete in women’s events at the Olympics. This means that transgender athletes will no longer be able to compete in women’s events at the Olympics. The IOC stated that athletes must undergo SRY (Sex-Determining Region Y) gene testing to confirm their biological development. The presence of the SRY gene indicates that the athlete has undergone male biological development. The test needs to be conducted only once during an athlete’s career and can be performed using saliva, a buccal swab, or a blood sample—all non-invasive methods.
New IOC President Kirsty Coventry emphasized that the participation of biological males in women’s events is “unfair and potentially dangerous.” Consequently, the IOC will establish uniform regulations covering the Olympics, Youth Olympics, and qualifying events. The new rules will take effect starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and international sports federations are expected to follow suit, making this the unified standard for elite women’s sports.
In response to this policy, the Pride Cup, which supports LGBTQIA+ participation in sports, criticized the move, stating it “will make all women targets of harassment and abuse.” Meanwhile, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Association (ILGA) argued that sports should be a place of respect and inclusion, rather than subjecting women’s bodies to further scrutiny.
Commentary:
There is no denying that this rule is intended to uphold fairness in athletic competition. In women’s sports, even minor physiological differences can confer a significant advantage during competition, thereby affecting fair play. Therefore, the IOC’s use of SRY genetic testing to determine biological sex—to ensure competitions take place under relatively fair conditions—is a practical necessity for elite sporting events.
However, as more transgender athletes participate in competitions, the Olympics—as an international event that emphasizes fairness, respect, and friendship—inevitably sparks further public debate. How to balance competitive fairness with athlete inclusion in the future remains a complex challenge.