Overview
- The International Olympic Committee, which announced the policy Thursday, will limit all female categories to athletes it defines as biological females based on a one-time SRY gene screen.
- The SRY test checks for a gene linked to male sex development using saliva, a cheek swab, or blood, and a negative result clears an athlete for all future female events unless an error is suspected.
- Athletes who test positive are ineligible for women’s events, with narrow exceptions for specific differences in sex development such as Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome.
- The rule takes effect for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, is not retroactive, does not cover recreational sport, and the IOC says it aims to protect fairness and safety in strength, power, and endurance sports.
- The White House praised the move as consistent with President Donald Trump’s prior order, rights groups called the genetic testing discriminatory and invasive, and experts expect Court of Arbitration for Sport cases after years of sport-by-sport rules and controversies at recent Games.