New policy introduces genetic screening requirement to determine eligibility for female competition categories.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The International Olympic Committee announced a new policy Thursday establishing that eligibility for women’s events will be determined by biological sex, introducing genetic screening requirements ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
According to reporting by The Hill, the policy bars athletes who are biologically male from competing in women’s categories at Olympic events.
Under the framework outlined in the IOC’s official policy document and detailed in its announcement, athletes will undergo screening for the SRY gene, which indicates the presence of a Y chromosome.
Testing may be conducted through saliva, cheek swabs or blood samples. The IOC stated that “no athlete with an SRY-positive screen is eligible for competition in the female category at an IOC event.”
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said the policy is intended to ensure fairness in competition. “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition,” Coventry said. “The policy that we have announced is based on science and has been led by medical experts.”
“At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat,” she added. “So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”
Coventry also emphasized that athletes would be screened only once and that the process would include education, counseling and medical guidance. “Every athlete must be treated with dignity and respect,” she said.
The policy follows recommendations from the IOC’s Working Group on the Protection of the Female Category, which concluded that biological differences between males and females can provide performance advantages. The committee stated that eligibility “should therefore be based on biological sex.”
The new rules also address athletes with differences in sex development (DSD). The IOC said that, with limited exceptions such as Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, athletes who test positive for the SRY gene would not be eligible for women’s events.
South African runner Caster Semenya, who has previously been subject to eligibility rules related to testosterone levels, criticized the policy change. “I have carried this weight. So have other women of color who deserved better from sport,” Semenya told The New York Times. “Reintroducing genetic screening is not progress — it is walking backward.”
The IOC said the policy is designed to provide clarity and consistency across Olympic competition as preparations continue for the 2028 Games.
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