The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has announced a policy change that will prohibit American transgender women from competing in women’s events at the Olympics and Paralympics.
This decision follows US President Donald Trump’s executive order – “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” – which aims to ensure fair competition for women in sports.
The USOPC has updated its Athlete Safety Policy to include a new subsection titled “Additional Requirements.”
According to the updated policy, the USOPC is committed to protecting opportunities for athletes participating in sport… to ensure that women have a fair and safe competition environment consistent with Executive Order 14201 and the Ted Stevens Olympic & Amateur Sports Act.
The policy change was announced in a memo to Team USA from USOPC chief executive Sarah Hirshland and president Gene Sykes, who said, “As a federally chartered organization, we have an obligation to comply with federal expectations.”
The policy change will require all National Governing Bodies to update their applicable policies in alignment with the new policy.
USOPC officials pointed out the importance of ensuring fair and safe competition environments for women, saying, “Our revised policy emphasizes the importance of ensuring fair and safe competition environments for women.”
This move is expected to have significant implications for transgender athletes in the US, limiting their participation in women’s sports events.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has also altered its policy for transgender athlete participation, limiting women’s sports competitors to athletes assigned female at birth.
This policy change aligns with Trump’s executive order, which threatens to remove federal funds from institutions that allow transgender girls to play on girls’ teams, citing potential violations of Title IX rules.
Trump’s executive order requires immediate enforcement against institutions that deny women single-sex sports and single-sex locker rooms.
The USOPC has noted that it has engaged in “respectful and constructive conversations” with federal officials in response to the executive order.
This policy change comes as Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Leave a comment