The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is aiming to introduce a new policy on the eligibility of transgender athletes in female sports by early 2026. IOC President Kirsty Coventry emphasized the organization’s belief in providing access to sports as a human right for all individuals at the grassroots level.
Coventry, a two-time Olympic champion swimmer, established a working group to examine the protection of the female category shortly after assuming office in June. The IOC’s previous approach involved offering guidance to individual sports governing bodies to create their own rules.
Coventry expressed optimism about reaching a clear decision within the first quarter of the upcoming year. The IOC is expected to finalize its policy, focusing on transgender athletes and those with differences in sexual development (DSD), at a meeting preceding the Milan Cortina Winter Games in February 2026.
The U.S. President, Donald Trump, issued an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” in February, potentially impacting funding for organizations allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee had also prohibited transgender women from participating in competitions earlier in the year.
Several world governing bodies, including those for track and field, swimming, and boxing, have implemented measures to address the eligibility of transgender athletes. These measures include genetic testing to identify male chromosomes in female athletes.
Coventry acknowledged the challenges in finding a consensus on this issue but affirmed the commitment to protect the integrity of the female category in a fair manner. While the exact number of transgender athletes competing at the Olympic level is unknown, the Olympic Charter underscores the right to participate in sports without discrimination, aligning with internationally recognized human rights principles. Coventry reiterated that sports should be inclusive at all levels, ensuring equal access for everyone to engage in athletic activities.
