IOC gives sports new advice on transgender athlete rules

“No athlete should be excluded from competing based on an unverified, alleged or perceived unfair competitive advantage due to their sex variations, physical appearance and/or transgender status”

Aiming to help sports write eligibility rules for transgender athletes, the IOC published advice on November 16 shifting the focus from individual testosterone levels and calling for evidence to prove when a performance advantage existed.

No athlete should be excluded from competing based on an “unverified, alleged or perceived unfair competitive advantage due to their sex variations, physical appearance and/or transgender status,” the International Olympic Committee said.

The six-page document follows years of consultation with medical and human rights experts and, since 2019, athletes directly affected to help draft guidelines promoting fairness and inclusion.