The International Olympic Committee (IOC) apparently intends to bar trans women athletes from participating in women’s events outright. According to the British newspaper The Times, the ban is slated to be officially announced early next year.
The IOC president, Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, who was elected in June, had already called for a sports ban on trans women on several occasions. Earlier this year she said, for example: “I want to ensure that the women’s category is protected. I don’t think trans athletes should be allowed to compete in the Olympic Games.”
Last week, according to The Times, the IOC’s chief medical officer Jane Thornton presented in Lausanne a report arguing that trans athletes would always have an advantage over cisgender women. However, only a few details about the report are known, as it was presented behind closed doors.
Is the ban scientifically or politically justified?
Previous studies tended to conclude that trans women do not automatically have advantages — for example an IOC study from last year (TheColu.mn reported). According to the study, there are differences between trans and cis women that would balance out. For instance, trans women have higher grip strength than cis women, but the researchers also noted lower jumping ability, reduced lung function, and less fitness due to a weaker cardiovascular system. However, there are so far only a few studies on the topic with limited statistical power.
In any case, LGBTQ+ organizations suspect that the ban is more politically motivated than scientifically justified. The background is that the 2028 Olympic Games will be held in the American metropolis of Los Angeles, and U.S. President Donald Trump in speeches has already threatened to simply bar trans athletes from entering the United States. Trump has also issued further decrees against trans people, for example they would no longer be allowed to serve in the U.S. military because of their gender identity (TheColu.mn reported).
Already at the last Olympic Games in Paris there was a broad ban on trans women: for instance, in many sports it was required that trans women may only compete in women’s events if they had completed their gender transition before the age of twelve — in many countries this procedure is prohibited at that age. (dk)
