Olympics Moves To Protect Female Athletes With New Ban On Male Competitors

The IOC, under newly inaugurated President Kirsty Coventry, is actively reviewing its gender-eligibility framework, with early discussions signaling a possible overhaul well before the 2028 Games. Coventry has publicly said the committee must “protect the female category” to ensure fairness in sport.

Currently, each international sports federation sets its own eligibility rules for transgender and DSD athletes, leading to major inconsistencies across the Games. Under Coventry’s leadership, the IOC is exploring a unified global standard that would likely bar athletes who have experienced male puberty (males) from competing in women’s events. The framework may also revisit how naturally elevated testosterone or DSD conditions are evaluated in the female category.

Why the Move Now?

Two major factors are driving the push. First, many female athletes and sports leaders argue that competitors who have experienced male puberty retain clear physical advantages in strength, endurance, and skeletal structure that can persist even after years of hormone therapy. These differences threaten to undermine the level playing field that women’s categories were designed to protect.

In the United States, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee recently adopted a policy aligning with a federal directive that restricts male athletes from female divisions. With Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Games, the IOC may face mounting pressure to align its global policy with the host nation’s stance.

What the New Policy Could Look Like

While no official policy text has been released, several directions appear likely: a standardized rule barring athletes who have undergone male puberty from female categories, tighter oversight for DSD athletes through hormone-based or physiological criteria, and a renewed emphasis on scientific evidence showing that male puberty produces lasting physical advantages.

The policy could also result in consistent criteria across all sports (rather than federations setting divergent rules), creating a level field for women worldwide, along with transparent timelines and policies to give athletes time to adapt ahead of LA 2028.

Why This Matters

For female athletes, these changes could finally bring stronger protection for women’s divisions and offer the assurance that competition will be based on fair, biologically consistent standards. For sports federations, the clock is ticking. They must adopt and enforce new eligibility standards well before LA 2028 to avoid confusion, protests, or legal fallout.

The forthcoming Olympics in Los Angeles may mark a turning point in international sport. As the IOC reevaluates eligibility standards for transgender and DSD athletes, the goal should be clear: to restore fairness, transparency, and confidence in women’s competition. Female athletes have long sought a truly level playing field, and 2028 could be the year the system finally delivers it.