The International Olympic Committee is moving closer to introducing a global ban that would stop transgender women from competing in female sporting events.
The policy, which could be implemented in 2026, marks a major turning point in how gender and fairness are handled in world sport.
IOC president Kirsty Coventry, a seven-time Olympic medallist, made the issue central to her campaign and has since created a working group focused on protecting women’s sport.
While the organisation insists that “no decisions have been taken yet,” growing evidence suggests that a firm policy is already taking shape.
Sources told BBC Sport that, following a recent medical presentation, a blanket ban is now the most likely outcome.
The IOC’s medical and scientific director, Dr Jane Thornton, revealed that early findings show athletes born male retain physical advantages even after reducing testosterone levels.
The measure is expected to come into effect before the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games but not before the 2026 Winter Games.
Coventry has made it clear she wants the IOC to “play a leading role” in ensuring fairness for female athletes.
“We must find balance, and the IOC is in the best position to lead that discussion,” she told BBC Sport earlier this year.
For years, the IOC has left the issue of eligibility to individual sporting federations, many of which allowed transgender women to compete once they met specific hormone standards.
Coventry’s leadership, however, is steering the body toward a single global rule that she believes will “ensure that we find consensus” and protect the integrity of women’s competition.
She added that IOC members have shown “overwhelming support” for safeguarding the female category.
Not everyone agrees with the proposed approach.
The president of the International Paralympic Committee recently warned against “blanket solutions,” urging that policies around transgender participation be handled case by case.
