Women's Olympics to be limited to biological females only

The women's Olympic sports is to be limited to biological females from 2028, when it will be hosted in Los Angeles the International Olympic Committee has announced.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Kirsty Coventry announced that female athletes will need to take part in a "once-in-a-lifetime" sexual gender test to determine their eligibility to take part in the women's category of the Olympic games from 2028 - this is to prevent transgender women and those with differences in sexual development (DSD) from competing. 

The IOC president, who has only been in the role for a year, said the policy was "led by medical experts". 

 "At the Olympic Games even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat," Coventry said.

"So it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe."

The IOC said that eligibility for the female category would first be determined by SRY (Sex-determining Region Y) gene screening, athletes who screen negative for this will permanently satisfy the IOC's policy for competing in the female's category. 

The IOC added in its statement that athletes with a rare diagnosis of Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) or other rare differences/disorders in sex development (DSDs) who do not benefit from the anabolic or performance-enhancing effects of testosterone, no athlete with an SRY-positive screen is eligible for competition in the female category at an IOC event.

Athletes with an SRY-positive screen, including XY transgender and androgen-sensitive XY-DSD athletes, continue to be included in all other classifications for which they qualify. For example, they are eligible for any male category, including in a designated male slot within any mixed category, and any open category, or in sports and events that do not classify athletes by sex.

IOC president Coventry continued by saying “Every athlete must be treated with dignity and respect, and athletes will need to be screened only once in their lifetime. There must be clear education around the process and counselling available, alongside expert medical advice."