The International Olympic Committee has announced they will limit participation in women’s Olympic events to athletes classified as biologically female.

The decision came today (March 26), and athletes will now undergo a gene screening to determine eligibility.

Keep reading to find out more…

“Eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females determined on the basis of a one‑time SRY gene screening,” the International Olympic Committee said. They said they made this decision as it “protects fairness, safety and integrity in the female category.”

This will impact any transgender women who want to compete in the 2028 Summer Olympics, which are set to take place in Los Angeles, as well as all future games at this time.

By the way, this ruling will not apply to past Olympic competitions or other sports programs. “It is not retroactive and does not apply to any grassroots or recreational sports programs,” they added.

This news comes just months after it was rumored that transgender athletes might be banned from the games.

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.”