LONDON, November 10. /TASS/. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will ban transgender athletes from participating in women's events at the Olympic Games once it finalizes a scientific study proving the physical advantages gained from going through puberty as a male, according to the Times.
The Times says that the new policy may be announced in early 2026 at the organization's session during the Olympics in Italy.
At the moment, trans athletes can participate in women's competitions, although the decision rests with the international federations.
The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo saw a transgender athlete compete for the first time ever, when New Zealander Laurel Hubbard took part in the women's weightlifting competition in the under-87 kg weight category, taking last place and failing to complete a single lift.
In the summer of 2024, Imane Khelif from Algeria (under-66 kg weight category) won the women’s boxing tournament at the Olympics. After the games, French journalist Jaffar Ait Audia reported that an MRI scan had revealed the absence of a uterus and the presence of internal testicles. A chromosome test confirmed the Algerian woman had an XY karyotype, and a hormonal test showed that her testosterone levels were on a par with those of a typical man.
After being elected president of the International Olympic Committee, Kirsty Coventry promised to protect women's competitions.
The Times said that last week IOC Medical and Scientific Director Jane Thornton had presented persuasive initial results of a scientific review of women's sports’ problems due to the participation of trans athletes, which was received positively.