The International Olympic Committee says it plans to unveil a unified policy on transgender participation early next year, marking the end of months of internal debate over how to safeguard women’s competition.
The question of who can compete in the female category has long stirred disagreement, largely because there is no single global standard for transgender athletes at the Olympic Games.
That patchwork approach began to shift in June. Under newly elected IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the committee reversed its earlier stance of leaving eligibility rules to individual sports bodies. That system produced clashing and inconsistent regulations across federations. Coventry instead created a central working group in September, focused solely on protecting the female category. The panel includes scientific specialists and representatives from international federations.
Speaking after an executive board meeting on Wednesday, Coventry said the group is studying all sides with the aim of reaching a shared position.
“We are trying to build a framework that covers every dimension,” she said. “It may be complex, but our goal is simple: when we refer to the female category, it must remain protected.”
Coventry expects a final outcome in early 2026, stressing that the IOC wants to consult widely before arriving at a definitive standard.
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“We want to ensure everyone has been heard and that every detail is properly checked,” she said. “The group is making solid progress. I will not impose a rigid deadline, but I am confident that within the first quarter of next year we will have a clear direction.”
For years, the IOC resisted setting a single rule for transgender inclusion, instead advising federations in 2021 to craft their own guidelines. Under the current framework, which remains active, transgender athletes can still compete at the Olympics.
Only a small number have done so. New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard became the first openly transgender athlete to compete in a category different from the one assigned at birth when she appeared at the Tokyo 2021 Games.
Some federations have introduced their own regulations since then, while others remain undecided.
The discussion is also unfolding against a tense backdrop in the United States. President Donald Trump has barred transgender students from competing in school sports, a move criticized by rights groups and one that will shape the environment as Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Summer Olympics. Trump has said he would not permit transgender athletes to participate at the LA Games.