World Athletics has voiced its support for the International Olympic Committee’s decision to prevent transgender athletes from competing in female category events. The organization emphasized the importance of maintaining a fair playing field without allowing gender to override biological factors. This move aligns with the IOC’s new rules limiting eligibility for female category events at the Olympics and other IOC competitions to biological females.
The IOC’s policy, endorsed by its Executive Board, will be enforced starting from the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and will not be applied retroactively. It covers all female category events, including individual and team sports. The IOC is urging International Federations and other sports governing bodies to implement similar eligibility criteria for their events.
According to the IOC’s statement, eligibility for female category events will now be restricted to biological females, determined through a one-time SRY gene screening. This screening will identify the presence or absence of the SRY gene to ascertain biological sex. World Athletics, along with other international federations, has already implemented genetic testing to verify athletes’ biological sex, enhancing fairness and transparency in women’s competitions.
