Women’s Olympic sports limited to biological females from 2028 – IOC

The IOC said eligibility for the female category will be determined by a screening to detect the SRY gene (sex determining region Y gene), which is part of the Y chromosome and causes the development of male characteristics.

“The IOC considers SRY gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample to be non-invasive compared to other possible methods,” he said.

“Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently meet this policy’s eligibility criteria to compete in the women’s category.

“This would be a once-in-a-lifetime test unless there is reason to believe a negative result is erroneous.”

The IOC said athletes who fail the test “will continue to be included in all other classifications for which they are eligible.” “For example, they may qualify in any men’s category, including the designated men’s quota in any mixed category and any open category, or in sports and events that do not classify athletes by gender.”

Until this announcement, the IOC had left gender conformity regulations to the governing bodies of individual sports, rather than implementing a universal approach.

While sports such as athletics, swimming, cycling and rowing have been banned, many sports have allowed trans women to compete in women’s competition if they lower their testosterone levels.

The ban will also include athletes with DSD.

This is a rare condition in which a person’s hormones, genes, and/or reproductive organs may be a mixture of male and female characteristics.

Two-time Olympic women’s 800 meters champion Caster Semenya has DSD, which means she has male XY chromosomes.

Previously, male prepubescent CGB athletes could compete in women’s sports provided they maintained their testosterone at certain levels.