Overview
- The IOC, which approved the policy Thursday, will require a one-time SRY gene screen using saliva, a cheek swab, or a blood sample to decide who may enter women’s events.
- The rule begins with the Los Angeles Games in 2028, is not retroactive, does not cover recreational sport, and includes rare medical exceptions such as Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome.
- Eligibility shifts to a uniform standard that excludes most transgender women and many athletes with differences in sex development, with lifetime clearance for athletes who test SRY‑negative.
- International federations and national governing bodies will run the testing, and athletes from countries that ban such screening may be tested when they travel, according to IOC guidance.
- Advocacy groups and UN-linked experts warn of discrimination and privacy harms and the IOC anticipates legal challenges, while several outlets note the policy tracks U.S. positions under President Trump even as the IOC says it acted independently.