Africa-Press – Eritrea. The International Olympic Committee has announced a new policy barring transgender athletes from competing in the female category over fairness and safety concerns in elite sport.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said the decision follows extensive scientific and medical consultation. According to her, there is a need to protect the integrity of women’s competition at the highest level.
“Today, we at the International Olympic Committee have published a policy on the protection of the female category. I understand that this is a very sensitive topic. As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition,” she said.
Coventry stated that the policy is grounded in scientific evidence indicating that male chromosomes confer performance advantages in sports requiring strength, power, and endurance.
“The scientific evidence is very clear: male chromosomes give performance advantages in sports that rely on strength, power, or endurance,” she said.
She noted that at the Olympic level, marginal differences can determine outcomes, making fairness a central concern.
“At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. It is therefore 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,” she added.
At the same time, the IOC emphasised that all athletes must be treated with dignity and respect, with provisions for education, counselling, and medical guidance as part of the implementation process.
She added that athletes will only be required to undergo screening once in their lifetime.
While reaffirming the importance of inclusion at grassroots and recreational levels, Coventry stressed that elite competition requires stricter safeguards.
“The Olympic Games focus on elite sport, and at this level we must ensure the fairness, safety, and integrity of all competitions,” she said.
The IOC acknowledged that the policy is likely to raise questions and debate, noting that it will continue engaging stakeholders in the coming months as part of a broader implementation process.
“The publication of this policy is just one step in the process, and there will be more information to come,” she said.
