The International Olympic Committee on Thursday announced a ban on transgender athletes competing in female events.
The IOC said that eligibility for any female category is limited to biological females. Eligibility for the female category is to be determined in the first instance by SRY gene screening to detect the absence or presence of the SRY gene.
The policy is the result of an IOC review which took place between September 2024 and March 2026.
The review included consultations with a range of experts in relevant fields, and lessons learned and feedback from Olympic Movement constituents, including International Federations (IFs) and athletes from around the world, including athletes potentially impacted by any new policy, the IOC said.
As part of the review, in September 2025 the IOC established a working group to specifically examine scientific, medical and legal developments since 2021.
STRONG CONSENSUS
The working group members came from all five continents and included specialists in sports science, endocrinology, transgender medicine, sports medicine, women’s health, ethics and law. As a separate part of the working group, International Federation Chief Medical Officers representing individual and team sports were also included.
Athletes also provided feedback through an online athlete survey which received over 1,100 responses.
“Feedback from the athlete consultation revealed that, although nuances exist across sex and gender, region and athlete status (active/retired), there was a strong consensus that fairness and safety in the female category required clear, science-based eligibility rules, and that protecting the female category is a common priority,” the IOC said.
The policy, published on Thursday, states: “Based on scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the presence of the SRY gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced male sex development. Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods.
“Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently satisfy this policy’s eligibility criteria for competition in the female category. Unless there is reason to believe that a negative reading is in error, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime test.
“With the rare exception of athletes with a diagnosis of Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) or other rare differences/disorders in sex development (DSDs) who do not benefit from the anabolic and/or performance-enhancing effects of testosterone, no athlete with an SRY-positive screen is eligible for competition in the female category at an IOC event.”
It continued: “Athletes with an SRY-positive screen, including XY transgender and androgen-sensitive XY-DSD athletes, continue to be included in all other classifications for which they qualify. For example, they are eligible for any male category, including in a designated male slot within any mixed category, and any open category, or in sports and events that do not classify athletes by sex.”
Speaking about the policy, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said: “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition. The policy that we have announced is based on science and has been led by medical experts. At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”
She continued: “Every athlete must be treated with dignity and respect, and athletes will need to be screened only once in their lifetime. There must be clear education around the process and counselling available, alongside expert medical advice.”
This policy is to be adopted by IFs and other sports governing bodies, such as NOCs, National Federations and Continental Associations, when exercising their responsibility in implementing eligibility rules in relation to IOC events only.
It replaces all previous IOC statements on this matter, including the Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations.