An Olympics without trans women? International committee considers blanket ban on participation, returning the sport to a time when femininity was defined by men in suits
When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made it known in 2021 that it wanted to "protect inclusion, respect and equality" for all athletes regardless of gender identity, it seemed like a step in the right direction. But four years later, the spirit of openness seems to be slowly fading from the Olympic movement again. Indeed, according to Britain's Sky News and other media, the IOC is considering a blanket ban on transgender women in women's events - that is, a ban on the participation of athletes who have transitioned from male to female.
According to leaked information, the IOC's director of health and science, Dr Jane Thornton, was due to alert committee members to the "potential physical benefits" of trans women in women's sport at a recent internal presentation. Sources claim that the IOC is now considering banning not only transgender women, but also athletes with different gender development - i.e. intersex people. This is despite the fact that a number of scientific studies have repeatedly questioned whether hormonal or biological differences automatically confer a sporting advantage at elite level.
If the changes were to actually come into force, they could already affect the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, marking a major reversal of IOC policy, which until recently has emphasised an individual approach - judging each athlete separately rather than banning an entire group.
But the world of sport has moved significantly towards restrictions over the past year. Already this summer, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee "quietly changed its rules" and adopted a new policy that essentially makes it impossible for transgender women to participate in women's competitions. In doing so, it references former President Donald Trump's executive order that was meant to "protect women's sport" - ironically, the IOC may be adopting a policy in 2025 that is rooted in a highly conservative and exclusive agenda.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry herself speaks of the need to "protect the female category and female athletes". Following the controversy surrounding boxer Imane Khelif at last year's Paris Games, where speculation about her gender was raised, the issue of the "fairness" of women's sport has once again taken centre stage. Khelif, who won gold in the under-66kg category, is not a transgender woman - and yet she has become a symbol of mistrust of female athletes who do not fit conventional ideas of the female body.
And that is what is most disturbing about the whole situation. The debate about fairness in women's sport is undoubtedly legitimate, but in the hands of institutions that confuse protection with exclusion, it is fast turning into a hunt for 'unfit' bodies. In place of scientific arguments and empathy comes rigorous testing, suspicion and new boundaries of 'purity'.
The ban on transgender female athletes is thus more than just a sporting decision. It is a cultural signal. The IOC, which has long prided itself on its openness, is sending a clear message: that inclusion is acceptable, but only up to a point - one that does not "disturb" anyone. And that protecting women's sport can easily be confused with protecting stereotypes about women.
The Olympics were meant to be a symbol of unity and respect between people. But if it starts to decide who is 'female enough' to compete, not only women's sport but the very idea of the Olympics becomes meaningless. Because the moment we exclude from the Games those who do not fit into our ideas of normality, it is no longer the Olympic Games. It's a selection process for femininity.
