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IOC to Protect Women's Sports Category
7 Feb
Summary
- New IOC regulations for women's sports are coming soon.
- Algerian boxer Imane Khelif's case sparked debate.
- Khelif is not transgender but has naturally high testosterone.
New regulations aimed at protecting the integrity of the women's sports category at the Olympics are expected from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) within the next few months. IOC president Kirsty Coventry has prioritized this reform, which comes in the wake of contentious debates surrounding gender eligibility for the Paris 2024 Games.
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif's situation brought these issues to the forefront. After winning gold in Paris, she faced scrutiny over her eligibility, which had been questioned by a former boxing governing body. Khelif, who clarified she is not transgender, stated she has undergone medically supervised hormone treatments to manage her naturally high testosterone levels.
She emphasized that her natural variations should not exclude her and expressed a willingness to undergo further testing for future competitions, including the LA 2028 Olympics. Khelif also stressed that while protecting women's sports is crucial, new policies should avoid inadvertently harming other female athletes.
The IOC spokesperson confirmed that the new policy has been under consultation and is expected to be implemented in the first half of 2026. This move is seen as a significant step towards clarifying gender eligibility rules across international sports.
