After controversies involving, among others, boxer Imane Khelif, the International Olympic Committee, IOC, seems to be putting a stop to transgender individuals participating in all female competitions.
In January, IOC President Kirsty Coventry stated that she advocated for a general ban, and after winning the presidency in March, she ordered a review that evaluated the permanent physical advantages of being born male.
– Protecting the women’s category and female sports is of utmost importance – it is a priority that we stand together, she said at the time.
– There is more and more scientific research. We have no discussion about how it is harmful to men’s sports. That in itself says that we must protect women’s sports. It is very clear that trans women are more capable in the female category and can remove opportunities that should be equal for women.
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Last week, IOC members were given an update by Dr. Jane Thornton, the committee’s medical and scientific chief. Although no final decision has been made, the update reportedly stated that scientific evidence shows that there are physical advantages to being born male, which persisted even after testosterone levels decreased.
IOC’s current policy is for individual sports to determine their own rules. While track and field and swimming prohibit transgender individuals, they are allowed in football provided they have taken measures to reduce their testosterone levels.
Differences in gender development
The stricter IOC policy could also include athletes with differences in gender development. The most notable example of this is Caster Semenya, who won gold in the 800 meters in London 2012 and Rio 2016.
More recently, there are boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting, who won gold medals at the Olympics in Paris last year despite allegedly failing to meet the gender criteria to participate in the boxing World Championships. Their gender has never been officially confirmed.
IOC is expected to update its policy next year.
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