The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is nearing the implementation of a comprehensive ban on transgender women from competing in female categories across all sports.
IOC president Kirsty Coventry committed to this initiative as part of her election campaign.
On Monday, the Times reported that the announcement of the ban could come as soon as next year.
The IOC communicated to reporters that the working group is continuing its discussions on this topic, and no decisions have been finalized yet.
Despite this statement from the IOC, it seems probable that a ban will be enacted.
Last week, the organisation’s medical and scientific director provided an update to members as they work through the details of the proposed ban.
Coventry, a former swimmer and seven-time Olympic medallist, mentioned to BBC Sport in June that the IOC needs to “take a leading role” in these discussions.
She revealed that a working group composed of experts and international federations would “ensure that we achieve consensus.”
In February, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order that bars transgender women from competing in female categories.
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He stated that this order would apply to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and that he would refuse visas to transgender athletes seeking to enter the US for the Games.
In recent years, a growing number of sports federations have prohibited athletes who have undergone male puberty from competing in elite female events due to concerns about fairness and safety.
World Rugby was the first international sports federation to announce that transgender women cannot compete at the elite and international levels of the women’s game in 2020.
In 2022, FINA (now World Aquatics), the governing body for swimming, declared it would prevent transgender athletes from participating in women’s elite races if they had experienced any part of male puberty.
In 2022, British Triathlon became the first British sports organization to create a new ‘open’ category for transgender athletes.
