The International Olympic Committee has signed off on a new policy that will bar transgender women from the female category at IOC events, with enforcement set to begin at the Los Angeles Games in 2028. The rule defines eligibility for women’s events by biological sex and calls for a one-time SRY gene screening to certify athletes. The 10-page policy also tightens access for some athletes with differences in sex development, potentially touching high-profile cases and setting the stage for legal and regulatory fights.
What the IOC announced
According to The Associated Press, the IOC document says that eligibility for female events will be restricted to athletes the committee classifies as "biological females" following a one-time SRY gene screening. The IOC says the policy will take effect for the Los Angeles Olympics in July 2028, will not apply retroactively, and will not govern grassroots or recreational sport. The document cites research the IOC describes as showing physical advantages linked to male puberty and testosterone exposure.
Who it affects
The policy further tightens screening for athletes with differences in sex development, or DSD, a group that has previously included runners such as Caster Semenya, whose long legal battle over DSD rules moved through sports tribunals and European courts, according to legal analysis by White & Case. Folding both transgender and DSD eligibility into a genetics-based test is designed to reduce discretionary, case-by-case medical reviews, but it could also render some currently competing athletes ineligible for the female category. That shift raises sporting questions, along with privacy and human-rights concerns for athletes who will be asked to provide genetic material.
Federations already using chromosome tests
Some international federations have already moved toward genetics-based screening. World Athletics adopted once-in-a-lifetime SRY checks for major competitions in 2025, and World Boxing began mandatory PCR-based sex testing for female entrants the same year, per press releases from both organizations. Those decisions give a rough blueprint for how national federations and event organizers might implement an IOC-led testing system. Athletes and teams should plan to shoulder responsibility for completing testing, documentation, and certification ahead of qualification windows for LA 2028.
Human-rights groups sound the alarm
Advocacy organizations say bringing back genetics-based sex verification revives long-running risks of invasive scrutiny and discrimination. Human Rights Watch has documented how earlier sex-verification regimes harmed women athletes, particularly those from the Global South, by subjecting them to intrusive examinations and medical pressure, and it argues that similar rules raise clear human-rights concerns. Those groups are expected to push for strict privacy safeguards, tightly defined medical criteria, and strong appeal rights if the new policy is rolled out.
What this means for Los Angeles
Because the policy kicks in at the LA Games, organizers and national federations will need to make sure entries comply with the new screening rules and to coordinate testing, certification, and record-keeping for anyone hoping to compete in the women’s category. The Associated Press noted that the IOC’s policy "aligns" with President Trump’s executive order on women’s sports, a political backdrop that could shape qualification issues and even visa questions for athletes competing on U.S. soil. For local athletes, clubs, and event organizers, that likely translates into new paperwork, medical sign-offs, and earlier pre-clearance timelines in the run-up to 2028.
Legal implications
Sports law experts say the policy is almost certain to be challenged. Eligibility rules tied to genetics have repeatedly landed before the Court of Arbitration for Sport and human-rights tribunals, and the Caster Semenya cases show how quickly such disputes can move into national and international courts, per public court documents. Previous decisions have found that rules may be discriminatory yet still lawful if they are necessary, proportionate, and grounded in evidence, so legal attacks are likely to focus on medical necessity, proportionality, data protection, and appeal rights. National federations, affected athletes, and advocacy organizations are expected to press early legal and administrative challenges to the testing procedures and to the scope of athletes’ rights under the new framework.
