IOC Ban on Transgender Women in Olympic Women’s Events Using SRY Gene Test Draws Mixed Reactions From Olympians
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The IOC announced a policy banning transgender women from Olympic women’s events, limiting eligibility to “biological females” as determined by a one‑time mandatory SRY gene screen (cheek swab or blood), applied to all Olympic/IOC events (not retroactive and not covering grassroots sport), and also tightening rules for athletes with differences of sex development. The decision — described by the New York Times as a broad ban and linked by some outlets to a Trump administration executive order and prior USOPC restrictions — drew mixed reactions: several Olympic medalists praised it as protecting fairness and safety, while transgender athletes, scientists and rights advocates raised ethical, legal and scientific concerns about SRY testing, its reliability and impacts on intersex athletes and participation.