Transgender female athletes are officially excluded from the Olympics after the organization’s governing body agreed to a new eligibility policy.
The Associated Press reports the International Olympic Committee agreed to the new policy Thursday that aligns with President Donald Trump’s executive order on sports ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The IOC now requires gene testing once in an athlete's career for any female athlete to be eligible to compete at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event. It will not be required for men’s events.
That includes individual and team sports.
In 2021, three transgender athletes competed at the Tokyo Olympics. None won individual medals. However, Canadian soccer player, Quinn, made history as the first openly transgender athlete on a team that took home gold.
The IOC says the new eligibility policy that will apply for the L.A. Olympics in July 2028 “protects fairness, safety and integrity in the female category.”
Before the IOC’s March decision, transgender athlete eligibility was up to the sports’ governing bodies.
