Dozens of human rights and sports advocacy groups are urging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to abandon reported plans to implement sex testing and ban transgender athletes from competitions.
In a joint statement released by the Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA), ILGA World, Humans of Sport, and numerous other groups, the organizations warned that such policies would constitute a major setback in gender equity. “Multiple sources have said the group has advised the IOC to require all women and girl athletes to undergo genetic sex verification and to bar transgender and intersex athletes from competing in women’s events. The IOC has not publicly confirmed the recommendations,” the statement read.
“A sex testing and blanket ban policy would be a catastrophic erosion of women’s rights and safety,” said Executive Director of the Sport & Rights Alliance Andrea Florence. “Gender policing and exclusion harms all women and girls, and undermines the very dignity and fairness the IOC claims to uphold. Our concerns are compounded by the fact that the IOC also seems to be, at the same time, divesting from the safe sport infrastructure that actually provides protection for women and girls.”
Julia Ehrt, Executive Director of ILGA World, said sport “should be a place of belonging.”
“We urge the IOC to prioritize safety over politics and not allow a policy that actively puts all women at risk,” Ehrt stated. “Invasive policing of women’s bodies should concern everyone as it reinforces harmful stereotypes and exposes all women and LGBTI athletes to further harassment and scrutiny.”
In June, IOC President Kirsty Coventry discussed fairness and women’s sports with Fox News, saying that “it was very clear from the members that we have to protect the female category, first and foremost to ensure fairness.”
