The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is expected to ban transgender athletes from competing in female events.
The decision is likely to be made in February, according to a report from The Times. The report explained that the committee’s medical and scientific director, Dr. Jane Thornton, presented scientific findings to the committee, which showed “there were physical advantages to being born male that remained with athletes, including those who had taken treatment to reduce testosterone levels.”
Discussing the rumors of a forthcoming change, an IOC spokesperson told Fox News, “An update was given by the IOC’s Director of Health, Medicine and Science to the IOC Members last week during the IOC commission meetings. The working group is continuing its discussions on this topic and no decisions have been taken yet. Further information will be provided in due course.”
IOC President Kirsty Coventry suggested in June that the committee would assess protections for female sports. “We understand there will be differences depending on the sports. We should make the effort to place emphasis on the protection of the female category and we should ensure that this is done in consensus with all the stakeholders,” she said at the time. “But we need to do that with a scientific approach and the inclusion of the international federations who have already done a lot of work in this area.”
A United Nations report found that nearly 900 medals have been awarded to male athletes competing alongside biological women. “The replacement of the female sports category with a mixed-sex category has resulted in an increasing number of female athletes losing opportunities, including medals, when competing against males. According to information received, by 30 March 2024, over 600 female athletes in more than 400 competitions have lost more than 890 medals in 29 different sports,” the report explained.
Earlier this year, Republican lawmakers called for the IOC to preserve fair competition and protect female athletes. Writing to then-IOC President Thomas Bach, the Republicans asserted, “Allowing biological males to compete in women’s categories undermines competitive opportunities, safety, and respect for female athletes.”
