The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, Reem Alsalem, expressed approval for the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) new policy safeguarding the female category in Olympic sports. The policy, endorsed by the IOC Executive Board, mandates that eligibility for the female category in all IOC events, starting from the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, is restricted to biological females. This policy, applicable to individual and team sports, aims to ensure fairness, dignity, and safety for women and girls in Olympic competition.
Alsalem praised the policy as a sensible and science-based approach that upholds the rights of women and girls in sports, aligning with international human rights principles. She emphasized the importance of evidence-based strategies, including acknowledging the biological reality of sex, in shaping sports policies at all levels. While the policy is not retroactive, Alsalem suggested that the IOC could address past injustices by apologizing to female athletes who faced unfair competition and considering retrospective measures like awarding parallel medals.
Alsalem highlighted the significance of such actions in acknowledging the past harm suffered by female athletes, demonstrating accountability, and ensuring that similar injustices are not repeated in the future.
