The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will ban transgender women and athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD) from female events starting early next year.
The move follows a science-based review that found permanent physical advantages in athletes born male.
Under current IOC rules, transgender women can compete in female events if they lower their testosterone levels, but individual sports have been allowed to set their own rules.
Highlights
- IOC will ban transgender women and DSD athletes from female events starting early 2026 to protect fairness in competition.
- A science-based review showed permanent physical advantages remain in athletes born male, even after testosterone suppression.
- Current IOC rules allow transgender women to compete if they lower testosterone, but new policy will standardize a ban.
The International Olympic Committee is expected to ban transgender athletes from competing in female events
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That will change under the leadership of new IOC President Kirsty Coventry, who has repeatedly emphasized the need to protect the female category.
Dr. Jane Thornton, the IOC’s medical and scientific director, presented the initial findings of the review to members in Lausanne last week.
According to sources, her presentation detailed evidence showing that physical advantages from male puberty remain even after testosterone suppression.
“It was a very scientific, factual and unemotional presentation which quite clearly laid out the evidence,” one source told The Times.
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Another source said IOC members reacted positively to the findings.
The new policy is expected to cover DSD athletes as well. These athletes are raised as girls but have male chromosomes and testosterone levels similar to those of males.
The issue gained international attention at the Paris 2024 Olympics, when boxer Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan won gold medals despite prior disqualifications at the World Championships due to gender eligibility concerns.
World Boxing has since introduced mandatory sex testing and stated that Khelif cannot compete in the female category until she completes the tests.
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Some sports, such as athletics and swimming, already ban athletes who have gone through male puberty from competing in female events. Others, including football, have not applied such restrictions.
Coventry, who won two Olympic swimming gold medals for Zimbabwe, said the IOC seeks a consensus-based approach with international federations.
“We understand there will be differences depending on the sports. We should make the effort to place emphasis on the protection of the female category, and we should ensure that this is done in consensus with all the stakeholders,” she said in June.
The ban follows science-based findings showing that physical advantages are retained after puberty
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“But we need to do that with a scientific approach and the inclusion of the international federations who have already done a lot of work in this area,” she added.
The IOC has not finalized the policy, and legal reviews are ongoing to ensure the new rules are watertight.
Officials expect the ban to be officially announced in early 2026, possibly during the IOC session at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy, come February.