Overview
- The International Olympic Committee, which announced the change Thursday, said only athletes classed as biological female and not carrying the SRY gene will be eligible for women’s events at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
- Testing will consist of a single PCR screen for the SRY gene using saliva, cheek swab, or blood, with administration left to international federations and national bodies and narrow medical exemptions such as complete androgen insensitivity.
- The policy is not retroactive, so past outcomes stand, including Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s gold at Paris 2024 after she said she carries the SRY gene.
- France objected Friday through Sports Minister Marina Ferrari, citing national bioethics law that bars non-medical genetic tests, and the French Olympic committee warned domestic labs cannot run them, which could push athletes to test while abroad.
- Scientists, UN experts and rights groups say there is no high-quality proof that SRY status or testosterone levels guarantee a performance edge and warn of privacy and discrimination risks, while some outlets cast the shift as aligning with President Trump’s stance on women’s sport.