IOC Implements Genetic Testing for Female Athlete Eligibility

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a new policy requiring female athletes to confirm their sex through genetic testing to compete in women's events at the Olympic Games. The decision, published on the organization's website, will take effect starting with the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

The new rules will also apply to other competitions under the IOC's jurisdiction but will not be retroactive and will not affect amateur or mass-participation sports. IOC President Kirsty Coventry stated that "it would be unfair if biological men competed in the female category," adding that in some sports, it could even be unsafe.

The IOC clarified that the presence of the SRY gene, which determines male sex development, "remains fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence" that an athlete developed as a male. The genetic test can be conducted via saliva analysis, a cheek swab, or a blood sample.

The committee stated that the changes were adopted based on research and athlete surveys. The organization concluded that "male sex provides a performance advantage in all sports and competitions where strength, power, and endurance are important."

However, the IOC will allow individuals with the SRY gene to participate in women's competitions if they are diagnosed with Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) or other rare disorders of sexual development where testosterone does not affect their physical attributes.

All other athletes with the SRY gene, including transgender individuals, will be eligible to compete in any other category for which they meet the requirements. For example, they would have the right to participate in men's tournaments or occupy men's spots in mixed categories.

This decision follows more than a year and a half after the Paris Summer Olympics, where gold medals in women's boxing were won by Algeria's Imane Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting. Their participation had sparked widespread controversy after media reports suggested they allegedly failed gender tests and possessed the SRY gene. The debate involved figures such as former U.S. President Donald Trump, entrepreneur Elon Musk, author J.K. Rowling, and International Boxing Association (IBA) President Umar Kremlev.