Transgender women are set to be prohibited from participating in women’s events at the Olympic Games. This decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) comes after a scientific review revealed the inherent physical advantages of being biologically male.
According to a report from The Times, the IOC is expected to unveil their new policy early next year. Previously, the IOC allowed transgender women to compete with reduced testosterone levels, leaving the final decision to individual sports organizations.
Under the leadership of new president Kirsty Coventry, the IOC is pivoting to safeguard the integrity of female competitions. Dr. Jane Thornton, the committee’s medical and scientific director and a former Canadian Olympic rower, presented the initial review findings to IOC members in Lausanne, Switzerland recently.
Dr. Thornton emphasized that scientific data highlighted enduring physical benefits of being born male, even after undergoing treatments to lower testosterone levels. Sources described Dr. Thornton’s presentation as factual and well-received by IOC members.
The IOC’s current stance, as stated on Olympics.com, emphasizes non-discrimination based on gender identity or sex characteristics for athletes meeting eligibility criteria set by their respective International Federations (IFs).
Controversy arose during the boxing tournament at the Paris Olympics when gold medals were awarded to two boxers, Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan, despite their disqualification from the previous year’s World Championships due to gender eligibility concerns.
World Boxing, the newly recognized international federation by the IOC post-Paris, has introduced mandatory sex testing. Khelif must undergo the testing before being permitted to compete in the female category.
The IOC is expected to announce the finalized policy around the time of the Winter Olympics in February 2026. Coventry, elected as president earlier this year, stressed the need to protect female sports while collaborating with international federations to ensure a scientific and inclusive approach.
In other news, Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the upcoming 2025/26 season, offering over 1,400 live matches across various leagues, including the Premier League and EFL. Sky will broadcast a minimum of 215 live Premier League games next season, a significant increase from previous seasons.
