With the eye Los Angeles 2028Last February, the president Donald Trump He signed a decree banning trans athletes from participating in competitions USA It is called the International Olympic Committee (International Olympic Committee) to reject “Transgender madness”For its part, the International Olympic Committee is moving forward in designing New eligibility rules for all sports Which will be announced during the committee meeting that will be held in Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina In February, it will enter into force in 2028. The last edition of the Olympic Games made clear that until now there is no uniform standard when setting equality rules for women’s categories to avoid discrimination. In fact, in 2021, transgender women with testosterone values within pre-specified limits were allowed to participate.
The new rule will prevent transgender women from participating in women’s competitions, as well as athletes with differences in sex development (DSD). The Medical and Scientific Director of the International Olympic Committee submitted a report containing clear evidence of “The athletic advantages of being born a man“, even receiving treatments to lower their testosterone levels, when competing. The healthiest decisions are linked to medical standards, not ideologies, but certainly No research can satisfy all athletes.
Eligibility varies by sport and each association can set its own rules. In athletics and swimming, transgender athletes are already excluded; In football they can participate if they meet requirements such as lowering testosterone. Since 2020 World Rugby These players are prohibited from competing in women’s tournaments to avoid injuries due to “Physiological differences“To accept competitors in World Cup in Tokyo last July, World Athletics (WA) requires them to undergo testing for the SRY gene, which is a reliable indicator of biological sex. In 2023 World of water games Proved that transgender women They will not be able to participate in the female category unless they convert before puberty.
World boxing He performs genetic and chromosomal tests. It should be remembered that in Paris 2024 The sport was in the eye of the storm, as the gold medal in both categories was in the hands of those who had been eliminated a year earlier from the World Championships after eligibility tests were conducted on them. There is talk that the case has raised a “social alarm”. If the ban is implemented then this It will be expanded to include all federations and could lead to legal claims by affected athletes.
Kirsty CoventryA seven-time Olympic swimming medalist, first woman and first African, and president of the International Olympic Committee since last June, she accepted the challenge of finding a unified approach and was in favor of protecting women’s sports and female athletes.
Contradictions such as equality or inclusion, biology or identity, guide discussions. There will be no lack of common sense in a field where critical analysis of these issues in order to establish clear rules is overlooked It can lead to massive injustices.