Olympic Committee has new criteria for participation of transgender persons

The International Olympic Committee announced on Saturday that world sports leaders had reached a consensus on a new set of criteria for the participation of transgender athletes. The new policy is expected to be presented in the first half of this year.

This will be the first unified framework adopted by the committee together with international sports federations, which will apply to major events across dozens of sports, including the Olympic Games and world championships.

Currently, individual federations have their own rules, which vary. Details of the proposed policy have not yet been released, but it is expected to significantly restrict the participation of transgender athletes in women's categories, especially in cases where the athlete has undergone complete male puberty prior to medical transition.

According to committee spokesman Mark Adams, protecting the women's category is one of the main reforms on which there is general consensus in the sports movement.

The current rules, which allow transgender athletes to participate after approval by federations, remain in force for the time being. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has banned transgender athletes from competing in school, college, and professional events in the women's category in the United States, as Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Summer Olympics.

(reuters, max)