The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee has made a significant change to its policy regarding transgender athletes, as we understand it today. The USOPC has quietly altered its stance to prohibit individuals born male from competing in women’s Olympic sports. This development aligns with President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14201,
The USOPC’s new eligibility policy, dated June 18, does not explicitly mention the term “transgender.” Instead, it includes a reference to the executive order on page 5 of its 27-page athlete safety policy. The committee states it will “continue to collaborate with various stakeholders… to ensure that women have a fair and safe competition environment consistent with Executive Order 14201 and the Ted Stevens Olympic & Amateur Sports Act.”
Before this change, the USOPC’s website indicated that its transgender policy was based on “real data and science-based evidence rather than ideology,” according to reports from The New York Times. The previous policy emphasized making decisions on a sport-by-sport and discipline-by-discipline basis.
This policy shift is expected to have far-reaching effects on sporting events across all age groups in the United States. National governing bodies of sports federations will now be required to comply with the USOPC’s new stance. However, it remains unclear how this change might impact U.S. athletes preparing for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Other sports organizations are following suit. USA Fencing, for instance, has amended its policy to state that the women’s category is for “athletes who are of the female sex,” while transgender females—individuals born male—will compete in the men’s category, which is “open to all athletes not eligible for the Women’s Category.” These changes are set to take effect on August 1.
The significance of this policy shift should not be overlooked. It raises important questions about the balance between inclusivity in sports and the maintenance of fair competition. As this situation continues to develop, we will bring you updates as they become available.
