Transgender Athletes Barred From Competing In Women’s Events In Summer Olympics

The International Olympic Committee has announced that transgender athletes will be barred from competing in women’s events starting with the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Athletes will need to undergo a mandatory gene test to determine their biological sex. This test will be performed before an athlete’s Olympic debut.

“At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat,” Kirsty Coventry, IOC president, said. “So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category.”

Originally, it was left to the sports committee to decide on the eligibility of transgender athletes. Track and field, swimming and cycling had all barred transgender women from competing in women’s leagues and events.

The IOC did research into the impact of testosterone on men’s strength. Their research concluded that testosterone spikes in the uterus and infancy put men at an advantage in strength, power and endurance. This is a change from previous views held by the IOC, which said that men only gain these advantages through puberty. 

The United States will be hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics. In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order nicknamed “Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports.” This order threatened to cut funding for any organizations that allowed transgender women to compete in women’s leagues. It also allowed the Department of Homeland Security to deny visas to transgender athletes. 

Trump has been active in the sports world since his inauguration in January 2025. He was the first president since President George W. Bush to go to an MLB game, he met with the president of FIFA, who said he deserved a Nobel Prize and he plans to host the first UFC event at the White House later this year. 

The 2028 Summer Olympics will start on July 14, 2028.