Key Takeaways
- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved a 2028 Olympic eligibility framework that changes qualification standards for women’s events.
- Female athletes must complete a one-time screening for the Sex-determining Region Y (SRY) gene, with those testing positive directed to men’s or open categories.
- The policy will apply to the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles and follows political scrutiny around transgender participation in sports.
The International Olympic Committee is making a major shift ahead of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Transgender women are now barred from competing in women’s Olympic events under a new eligibility policy that introduces mandatory gene testing.
According to the Associated Press, the IOC approved the decision following a recent executive board meeting, aligning its stance more closely with President Donald Trump’s executive order on women’s sports.
The decision follows years of debate around transgender participation at the Olympic level. New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard made history at the Tokyo Games in 2021 as the first openly transgender woman to compete. Though she did not win a medal, her participation became a defining moment in the broader conversation around inclusion in sports.
At the center of the policy is a one-time genetic screening. Athletes will be tested for the presence of the SRY gene, a DNA marker typically associated with male biological development, according to reports. The test — which can be done through saliva, cheek swab or blood sample — will determine eligibility for women’s competitions moving forward.
The IOC framed the decision around “fairness.” As AP reported, IOC president Kirsty Coventry said, “At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category.”
The organization also released a 10-page document outlining its reasoning, citing research it claims shows biological males retain advantages in strength, endurance and power. The doc points to performance gaps that can reportedly range from 10 percent in some events to significantly higher margins in others.
Under the new rules, transgender women and certain athletes with differences in sex development (DSD) will be excluded from women’s events unless they meet specific medical exceptions. Athletes who test positive for the SRY gene will be eligible to compete in men’s or open categories. The IOC emphasized that the policy is not retroactive and will not apply to recreational or grassroots sports programs.
How Donald Trump’s executive order shaped transgender athlete rules at the Olympics
This decision also reflects growing political pressure in the United States. In February 2025, Trump signed an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” pushing for stricter enforcement of Title IX and threatening to cut federal funding from institutions that allow transgender athletes to compete in women’s categories.
The order also called on international governing bodies, including the IOC, to adopt sex-based eligibility standards. Within months, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee updated its guidance to align with the White House, according to AP.
That influence now appears to have extended to the global stage at the 2028 Olympics, scheduled from July 14 through July 30.