The International Olympic Committee has banned transgender women and DSD athletes from competing in women’s Olympics events.The rule will come into force at the 2028 Los Angeles games and will be implemented for all future Olympic and IOC events.IOC President Kirsty Coventry announced new rules regarding transgender athletes on ThursdayAFPThe IOC have also confirmed that all athletes wanting to compete in female events at future Olympic games must undergo a one-off SRY (sex determining region Y gene) gene screening.The assessment is carried out to detect their biological sex and is done by either a cheek-swab or saliva test.‘Safety first’IOC president Kirsty Coventry says the decision was based on fairness and to protect the safety of women’s sport.“As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition,” Coventry said.“The policy that we have announced is based on science and has been led by medical experts. At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat.“So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.“Every athlete must be treated with dignity and respect, and athletes will need to be screened only once in their lifetime. There must be clear education around the process and counselling available, alongside expert medical advice.”The topic of transgender and DSD athletes in sport has divided opinion in recent years.Sports have been wrestling with the issue of transgender and DSD (differences in sex development) participation in the female category for more than a decade.In 2021, New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard became the first transgender woman to compete at an Olympics after transitioning.Laurel Hubbard competed at the 2021 Tokyo OlympicsThe new ruling will come into effect starting from the LA Games 2028GettyThe ban will also affect athletes displaying differences in sexual development (DSD) who were registered as female at birth but have male chromosomes and testosterone levels.This would mean two-time Olympic women’s 800m champion Caster Semenya and Imane Khelif, who won a gold medal in the women’s boxing in Paris in 2024, would be blocked from competing in female events.Biological advantagesA document outlining its new policy published by the IOC outlines that both transgender women and athletes with a DSD preserve advantages of going through male puberty.“There is a 10-12 per cent male performance advantage in most running and swimming events,” it says.“There is a 20+ per cent male performance advantage in most throwing and jumping events.“And the male performance advantage can be greater than 100 per cent in events that involve explosive power, eg in collision, lifting and punching sports.DSD athlete Caster Semenya is a two-time 800m Olympic championImane Khelif won gold in boxing at the Paris 2024 gamesAFP“XY transgender athletes and athletes with XY-DSD typically have testes/testicles and testosterone levels in the male range.“The clear majority are androgen-sensitive, meaning that their bodies are receptive to and make use of that testosterone during growth and development and throughout their athletic career.“In light of the scientific consensus that males have a performance advantage in all sports and events that rely on strength, power and/or endurance irrespective of subsequent testosterone suppression or gender-affirming hormone treatment, the Olympic movement has a compelling interest in having a sex-based female category, because this is necessary to ensure fairness, safety and integrity in elite competition.“Based on scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the presence of the SRY gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced male sex development.“Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods.”The IOC also clarified that its new policy applies to elite sport and not grassroots or recreational sports programmes.