IOC to BAN transgender women in female Olympic events by 2026

• The IOC is preparing to ban transgender women from competing in female Olympic events, potentially effective by 2026. The decision is driven by scientific findings that male puberty confers permanent athletic advantages (bone density, muscle mass, cardiovascular capacity) that hormone suppression cannot fully negate.
• IOC Director Dr. Jane Thornton presented evidence confirming that male puberty creates irreversible competitive advantages. The policy shift aligns with growing scientific consensus and political pressure to preserve fairness in women’s sports.
• IOC President Kirsty Coventry, a decorated Olympian, has advocated for a unified framework prioritizing fairness in women’s sports. She emphasized that while some sports allow mixed competition, the IOC must lead in safeguarding female-only events.
• The Trump administration has banned transgender women from women’s sports at all levels, including Olympic trials, and threatens visa restrictions for trans athletes in 2028. Organizations like USA Fencing and World Athletics have already implemented sex-based eligibility rules.
• Recent cases (e.g., boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting) reignited debates over sex verification in sports. The IOC may extend restrictions to athletes with Differences of Sex Development (DSD). A formal announcement is expected in February 2026, signaling the end of self-identification in elite women’s sports.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is reportedly preparing to implement a sweeping ban on transgender women competing in female Olympic events, with sources indicating the policy could take effect as early as 2026 – just ahead of the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina and the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

The proposed ban follows mounting scientific and political pressure to preserve fairness in women’s sports, fueled by controversies such as the reinstatement of boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the dominance of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in NCAA competitions.

As explained by BrightU.AI‘s Enoch, the IOC is an international non-governmental organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, responsible for overseeing the planning, organization and staging of the modern Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games. Established on June 23, 1894, by Pierre de Coubertin, the IOC is composed of a maximum of 100 members, with each member serving a term of eight years, renewable once.

According to multiple reports – including from BBC Sport, The Times and Fox News Digital – IOC Director of Health, Medicine and Science Dr. Jane Thornton presented findings confirming that male puberty confers permanent athletic advantages such as bone density, muscle mass and cardiovascular capacity. “The scientific evidence shows that anyone who goes through puberty as a male has permanent advantages over females, and they cannot be entirely mitigated by hormone treatment,” she reportedly told IOC members.

A senior IOC source, speaking anonymously to The Athletic, stated that the policy shift is “long overdue” and reflects “overwhelming support” from committee members to prioritize fairness in women’s sports. Newly elected IOC President Kirsty Coventry, a decorated Olympian from Zimbabwe, has been a vocal advocate for protecting female competition.

“For some sports, like equestrian, men and women compete against each other, so it’s not high on their topics of conversations,” Coventry told The Athletic in March. “But, in terms of where we go from here, the IOC needs to take a leading role.”

She emphasized that while sports federations have already conducted research, the IOC must establish a unified framework: “The overarching principle must be to protect the female category,” Coventry remarked.

The political and social implications of the IOC’s transgender ban

The IOC’s move aligns with broader political trends, particularly in the United States, where President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February 2025 banning transgender women from women’s sports at all levels – including Olympic trials. Trump has also vowed to deny visas to transgender athletes attempting to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Games, declaring, “We’re not going to let it happen.”

Critics, including the National Women’s Law Center, argue that such policies “sacrifice the needs and safety of athletes” for political expediency. However, sports organizations like USA Fencing have already implemented sex-based restrictions, while World Athletics enforces mandatory sex verification testing.

The debate intensified after Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting – both disqualified from the 2023 World Championships over alleged gender eligibility issues – won gold in Paris. While neither athlete identifies as transgender, their cases reignited scrutiny over sex verification in sports.

World Boxing has since mandated sex testing, and the IOC is reportedly considering extending its ban to athletes with Differences of Sex Development (DSD), such as South African runner Caster Semenya. The IOC has not finalized the policy but confirmed that Thornton’s presentation was part of ongoing discussions. A formal announcement is expected at the 145th IOC Session in February 2026.

The era of self-identification in elite women’s sports may soon be over. As Coventry put it, “The female category must be protected” – a stance increasingly backed by science, politics and public opinion.

Watch the video below about Trump pushing the IOC to ban all transgender athletes from competing in women’s events at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

This video is from Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

BrightU.ai

NYTimes.com

FoxNews.com

News.Sky.com

Brighteon.com