The International Olympic Committee (IOC) appears poised to ban trans-identified athletes in the upcoming 2028 games set to be held in Los Angeles, California.
This would be a drastic reversal in a longstanding policy allowing men who identify as women to compete in women’s sports. It comes amid an ongoing debate over this trend, with many arguing that it robs female athletes of opportunities and victories by forcing them to compete against biological males.
From The Los Angeles Times:
The International Olympic Committee appears to be near a pivotal decision with wide-ranging consequences in advance of the 2028 Los Angeles summer Olympics: Should athletes born male be allowed to compete in women’s events?
The debate comes amid a larger societal discussion about transgender athletes that has taken center stage in recent years, fueled in part by President Trump and others who are putting pressure on the IOC for a ban.
There were reports this week that the Olympic committee was ready to ban transgender women in female competition. The IOC insisted the report was premature but did not refute that a new policy was forthcoming.
A spokesperson confirmed that medical and scientific director Dr. Jane Thornton updated IOC members last week at a meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, on the initial findings of a working group studying the issue. However, the spokesperson said in a statement that “the working group is continuing its discussions on this topic and no decisions have been taken yet. Further information will be provided in due course.”
New IOC president Kirsty Coventry succeeded Thomas Bach in June and three months later formed the Protection of the Female Category working group made up of experts as well as representatives of international federation to study the issue.
The findings and a new policy could be announced as soon as the IOC session, scheduled in February ahead of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
🚨So the Olympics finally admitted biology matters.
— Myrna 𝕏 (@GigaBeers) November 10, 2025
Reports say the IOC will ban transgender & DSD athletes from women’s events starting next year…after “discovering” what every 8th-grade science class already knew. 🧬
Took them long enough. Right? pic.twitter.com/nOm08GDRDA
Coventry has previously signaled that the IOC should enact widespread rules regarding trans-identified athletes, saying that “we have to protect the female category, first and foremost to ensure fairness.”
President Donald Trump signed an executive order shortly after taking office, banning men from competing in women’s sports in schools. He directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to lean on the IOC to change its rules regarding trans-identified athletes.
Those who support forcing women to compete against men argue that trans-identified people should be allowed to participate in sports corresponding to their chosen gender identity. They claim it is a matter of human rights and fairness. Those who choose not to adhere to this viewpoint are discriminating against the trans community.
🚨 BREAKING — The IOC to BAN Trans Athletes from Female Events.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 11, 2025
They made a GROUNDBREAKING scientific discovery: "there were physical advantages to being born male that remained with athletes, including those who had taken treatment to reduce testosterone levels."
No sh*t. 🤡 pic.twitter.com/0kIDeMnFA3
Those with common sense rightly point out that biological males still retain a physical advantage over female athletes — even if they have undergone “gender-affirming” treatments. This means female athletes are at a distinct physical disadvantage, which has been seen in many cases in which biological males easily defeat their female counterparts in various competitions.
Opponents have also raised concerns about the safety of female athletes. They point to several instances in which male athletes have injured females because of their superior strength.
Despite the best efforts coming from the progressive left, polling shows that the vast majority of Americans believe that women should not be forced to compete against men. A September Gallup poll showed 69 percent of adults believing that athletes should only play on teams that match their birth sex. Only about 25 percent suggested that athletes should be allowed to play on teams that align with their chosen gender identity.
If the reports are true, it means the IOC will be scuttling a policy that has been in place since the early 2000s. Better late than never, I suppose. But perhaps this is yet another sign that common sense is making a comeback — at least in the debate over gender ideology.