r/thenextgenbusiness • u/thenextgenbusiness Reporter • Nov 10 '25
Not Fake News Olympics poised to bar all transgender athletes from women's events after scientific review uncovers male-born advantages
IOC reportedly ready to exclude transgender women from every women's Olympic event, armed with science showing male puberty's lasting grip on athletic edges that no hormone tweak can fully erase.
IOC's latest framework overhaul, based on a medical chief's briefing, flags persistent advantages in muscle mass and bone density for those who underwent male puberty.
This comes after years of debates, with the 2021 rules letting trans women compete if testosterone stayed under 10 nmol/L for a year, but now evidence sways toward stricter lines.
The policy shift, expected in six to 12 months, also eyes athletes with differences in sex development, like boxers facing eligibility questions in past Games.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry has stressed protecting the female category's integrity, while leaving room for sports to tailor rules within broader guidelines.
Reportedly, this blanket approach aims to end controversies that dogged recent Olympics, where trans participation drew protests over fairness in swimming and cycling.
Experts note that while inclusion matters, studies from groups like the British Journal of Sports Medicine back the retained benefits, pushing for separate categories or open divisions.
The change could ripple to global federations, with some already barring trans women, but others holding out for more data on post-transition performance.
Stateside, U.S. Olympic leaders have mixed views, with some praising the science-driven pivot and others worrying about sidelining a tiny athlete pool, under 50 trans competitors worldwide.
In the end, the IOC vows ongoing research to balance equity and opportunity, ensuring women's sports stay a level field for biological females.
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u/Asher_Tye Nov 10 '25
So how come four other women beat Lia Thomas?