©Unsplash
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a controversial decision: transgender athletes will no longer be able to compete in women's competitions at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
The new regulations closely align with the guidelines of US President Donald Trump's executive order, which had banned the participation of transgender men in women's sports in the United States. The measure is intended, according to the Committee, to protect the fairness and safety of the women's category.
Eligibility for the female category will now be determined by a test for the SRY gene, responsible for male sexual development. Athletes whose test is negative will be considered eligible for women's competitions for life. The IOC stresses that the test is minimally invasive, can be performed by saliva, swab or blood sampling, and provides a definitive result, with rare medical exceptions, such as in the case of complete androgen insensitivity syndrome or other variations in sexual development.
According to IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the decision is based on scientific data and athletes' experience:
At the Olympic Games, even the smallest details can make the difference between victory and defeat. So it's absolutely clear that it wouldn't be right for biological men to compete in the women's category. In some sports, it would simply be dangerous.
The Committee's document explains how biological males show testosterone peaks from childhood and into adolescence, giving them lasting physical advantages in terms of strength, power and endurance.
The decision has already triggered intense debate worldwide. Athletes such as Caster Semenya and Dutee Chand have challenged similar rules before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne in the past, and it's not out of the question that this new regulation will be the subject of legal appeals. Meanwhile, Trump hailed the IOC on Truth Social, calling the move a victory for the protection of women and girls in sport.
International reactions are very clear-cut. Equality Australia, for example, has expressed concern about respect for human rights and bodily autonomy: the organization believes that compulsory genetic testing and a blanket ban may undermine athletes' dignity and violate the principle of non-discrimination, stressing that sport should start from an inclusive approach.
Conversely, organizations such as Pro Vita & Famiglia Onlus welcomed the decision with enthusiasm, hailing it as a triumph for biology and common sense. According to this view, the new rules protect the integrity of women's competitions and prevent biologically male athletes from competing in women's categories, thus ensuring greater fairness in sport.
These two opposing visions illustrate the extent to which the issue of transgender athletes has become central to sporting and societal debate: on the one hand, the defense of individual rights and inclusion; on the other, the protection of the female category and the rules of competition. Discussions and confrontations that are bound to continue right up to the opening of the Los Angeles 2028 Games, leaving the possibility of further appeals open.
©GreenMe.it 2026 / Managing Editor : Selma Keshkire - The Press Junction / Picture : ©Unsplash)