Former US President Donald Trump Claims Credit for IOC’s New Policy Prohibiting Transgender Athletes in Women’s Olympic Competitions

Former US President Donald Trump has publicly claimed responsibility for the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) newly introduced policy that prohibits transgender athletes from participating in the women’s events at the Olympics.

On Friday morning AEDT, the IOC revealed a revised eligibility policy ahead of the Los Angeles Games in 2028, which specifically excludes transgender women from competing in female categories.

This policy echoes an executive order signed by Trump during his presidency.

The International Olympic Committee stated on Thursday (early Friday AEDT), “The eligibility for any female event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, whether individual or team sports, is now restricted to biological females,” with a determination based on a mandatory genetic test to be conducted once in an athlete’s lifetime.

On Truth Social, Trump boasted about the new guidelines, expressing, “Congratulations to the IOC on their decision to prohibit men from competing in women’s sports. This is solely happening as a result of my influential Executive Order, standing up for women and girls!”

The extent of transgender women competing at an Olympic level remains uncertain. No transgender woman competed in the women’s categories during the 2024 Paris Summer Games, although weightlifter Laurel Hubbard participated in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, without clinching a medal.

The IOC stated that the eligibility policy, effective from the LA Olympics in July 2028, “upholds fairness, safety, and integrity within the female category.” It also clarified that the ruling is not retroactive and does not influence grassroots or recreational sports.

This decision follows a thorough executive board meeting, leading to the publication of a 10-page policy document that also imposes limitations on female athletes like Caster Semenya, a two-time Olympic champion, who have medical variations known as differences in sex development (DSD).

Kirsty Coventry, the IOC president, emphasised the need for a definitive policy rather than continuing to advise sports governing bodies that previously established their own regulations. Coventry, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming, stated, “At the Olympic Games, even the slightest differences can determine victory or defeat, so it’s clear that it wouldn’t be fair for biological males to compete in the female category.”

Coventry’s push for clear guidelines began when she took charge in June and highlighted the protection of the female category as a priority. Female eligibility was a prominent topic during last year’s IOC elections, especially after concerns arose regarding women’s boxing in Paris.

In a statement released on Friday, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) “commended” Coventry for making a decision that offers direction on a complicated matter. AOC president Ian Chesterman noted the complexity of the issue, affirming that the IOC’s recent choice demonstrates a commitment to fairness and safety in elite Olympic competition.

“Clarity around eligibility is crucial for female athletes to maintain a level playing field,” he remarked. The AOC also acknowledged that this decision may be challenging for some athletes and has reached out to member sports to provide support.

Before the Paris 2024 Olympics, three primary sports—athletics, swimming, and cycling—had already barred transgender women who had gone through male puberty from competing.

The IOC’s document indicates that the advantages of being born male are significant. It cites research that shows males encounter three critical testosterone surges: during gestation, in infancy, and starting from puberty into adulthood, resulting in performance advantages in strength, power, and endurance.

The Olympic Committee’s expert group determined that the current gene test is the least intrusive and most precise method available, targeting the SRY gene found on the Y chromosome, which signifies male sex development and the presence of testes.

Despite its establishment, the mandatory genetic screening—already in practice by bodies governing track and field, skiing, and boxing—will likely face scrutiny from human rights advocates and organisations.

One of the main female boxing gold medalists at the centre of the gender debate in Paris, Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, successfully passed her gene test and is now permitted to compete again, according to her overseeing sports federation.

In the US, Trump enacted the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order in February last year, threatening to revoke funding to those organisations allowing transgender female athletes to participate in women’s sports.

As a consequence, the US Olympic Committee updated its policies to adhere to the White House’s directives.

– with Damien McCartney