New International Olympic Committee policy bans transgender athletes

The International Olympic Committee has banned transgender women and athletes with differences in sexual development from competing in women's events at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, restricting participation to biological women only. IOC President Kirsty Coventry said the policy was developed with guidance from medical experts and represents a significant shift after decades of evolving eligibility standards. The decision follows years of public debate over transgender athlete participation in women's sports, particularly at recent Olympic Games. The IOC previously used gene testing to determine athlete eligibility in the 1980s before abandoning that approach in the 1990s, then allowing transgender women to compete under certain conditions. This policy change will directly affect eligibility for female athletes competing in Los Angeles in 2028 and signals a return to biological criteria as the primary determinant for women's competition.