Now, only biological women are allowed to compete in women's disciplines at the Olympic Games and other tournaments under the aegis of the IOC. This will be determined through a special genetic screening.
Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas after a 500-yard freestyle swim at the 2022 US collegiate championship. Photo: Kathryn Riley/Getty Images
"The right to participate in any event in the female category at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological women, identified on the basis of a one-time SRY gene screening," states a message on the IOC website.
Previously, this issue sparked debate. Critics of transgender athletes' participation argued that after male puberty, transgender athletes retain physical advantages that do not fully disappear even after hormonal therapy.
In turn, proponents of their admission said that the ban violates human rights, and that hormonal therapy, they claimed, levels the playing field.
Previously, the IOC did not impose strict rules and allowed international federations to decide on this issue themselves. But after disputes surrounding the 2024 Olympic competitions, the approach was revised.
In 2025-2026, the IOC leadership focused on "protecting the female category," and as a result, stricter general rules were introduced.
The new rules will come into effect starting with the Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles, USA. They will not apply to mass or amateur sports competitions.
The reason for the reform was scandals surrounding several athletes — in particular, American swimmer Lia Thomas, who previously competed in the men's league, and New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, who changed category at 35 years old.
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І нават на старажытных Алімпійскіх гульнях у Алімпіі жанчыны кіравалі калясьніцамі на роўных з мушчынамі і перамагалі іх у сумленнай барацьбе.