Transgender athletes barred from female category events at Olympics

The International Olympic Committee announced Thursday it will reinstate biological sex testing to determine eligibility for female category events, effectively barring transgender women from competing in Olympic women's sports beginning with the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The policy will limit female competition to biological females and exclude athletes with differences in sexual development (DSD). This reversal marks a significant shift in Olympic eligibility rules, which have undergone multiple iterations in recent years as the IOC has grappled with how to balance inclusion with competitive fairness concerns. The move will affect transgender athletes who have competed under previous IOC policies that allowed transgender women to participate in female events under certain hormone-level requirements. The new screening protocol represents one of the most restrictive eligibility standards the IOC has implemented on this issue.