In a historic turning point for world sport, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) unveiled strict new guidelines on Thursday, March 26, 2026, aimed at redefining access to women's competitions. From now on, sporting fairness will be based on a specific biological criterion: the absence of the SRY gene .

The SRY gene: The new arbiter

Starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, the women's category will be exclusively reserved for athletes of female biological sex. To guarantee this compliance, the IOC is implementing widespread SRY gene screening.

The key takeaways from this measure:

1. Scientific reliability: The IOC relies on the fact that the SRY gene is immutable and constitutes irrefutable proof of male sexual development.
2. Non-invasive method: The test is carried out by simply collecting saliva or blood.
3. Single test: Athletes will only have to take this test once in their lives . A negative result permanently opens the door to the women's category.
4. Scope: The measure applies to all Olympic events (individual and team) but does not apply to amateur or recreational sport. It is also not retroactive.

A matter of fairness and security

Athletes who test positive for the SRY gene — including transgender individuals and XY DSD (disorders of sex development) athletes sensitive to androgens — will no longer be able to compete in women's events. They will be redirected to men's, mixed, or "open" categories.

"It would not be fair for people of biological male sex to compete in the female category," said Kirsty Coventry , president of the IOC.

The former Olympic champion stressed that in elite sport, where victory hinges on minute details, this policy is essential to preserve the integrity of results and, in some disciplines, the physical safety of participants.

Support planned

Aware of the sensitivity of the issue, the IOC is committed to treating each athlete with dignity. A training program will be implemented to guide the procedure, along with medical monitoring and specialized advice for the athletes affected by these results.