Sports
IOC Yet to Decide on Transgender Women Ban in Sports
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has clarified that it has not yet reached a final decision on whether to impose a blanket ban on transgender women competing in female categories across all sports.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry, who has previously advocated for stricter regulations, recently hinted that changes could be coming. However, the IOC emphasized on Monday that discussions remain ongoing and no final ruling has been made.
In a statement to BBC Sport, the IOC said: “The working group is continuing its discussions on this topic and no decisions have been taken yet.”
Despite this clarification, reports suggest that a ban remains a possible outcome, as internal discussions progress.
Last week, the IOC’s medical and scientific director presented an update to members, outlining potential frameworks for future policies. Coventry, speaking to BBC Sport in June, noted that the IOC must “play a leading role” in shaping discussions on the issue.
She added that a working group of experts and international federations has been established “to ensure that we find consensus.”
The debate has intensified since U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February barring transgender women from competing in female sports categories.
The order, which he said would also cover the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, includes provisions to deny visas to transgender athletes seeking to participate in U.S.-hosted events.
As the global sports community awaits the IOC’s final stance, the issue remains one of the most divisive in modern athletics balancing fair competition and inclusivity on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
