LAUSANNE -- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a new policy limiting eligibility for the female category at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event to biological females.

The policy, approved by the IOC Executive Board on Thursday, will take effect from the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games onward and is not retroactive. It applies to all female category events, including both individual and team sports.

The IOC encourages International Federations (IFs) and other sports governing bodies to adopt the policy when implementing eligibility rules for IOC events.

Under the new framework, eligibility for the female category will be determined in the first instance by Sex-determining region Y protein (SRY) gene screening, a one-time test using saliva, cheek swab or blood sample. The SRY test is used to identify whether a male Y chromosome is present.

Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently satisfy the eligibility criteria. Those with an SRY-positive screen are not eligible for competition in the female category at IOC events, with rare exceptions for athletes diagnosed with Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) or other rare differences in sex development who do not benefit from the performance-enhancing effects of testosterone.

"As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition," said IOC president Kirsty Coventry. "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."

Coventry added that every athlete must be treated with dignity and respect, and emphasized that athletes will only need to be screened once in their lifetime.

The policy was developed following an IOC review between September 2024 and March 2026, which included consultations with medical experts, International Federations and athletes from around the world.

A working group established in September 2025 examined scientific, medical and legal developments since 2021 and reached a consensus that male sex provides a performance advantage in all sports and events that rely on strength, power and endurance.

An online athlete survey received over 1,100 responses, while in-depth interviews were conducted with impacted athletes. Feedback revealed a strong consensus that fairness and safety in the female category required clear, science-based eligibility rules.

The new policy replaces all previous IOC statements on the matter, including the Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations. It does not apply to grassroots or recreational sports programs.

On July 30, 2025, World Athletics introduced its own eligibility criteria for the female category, requiring a one-time SRY gene test for athletes competing at world ranking events. The policy took effect in September 2025 and was implemented at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo later that month.