Federation of Gay Games Responds to IOC Policy on Women’s Category Eligibility

The FGG warns that SRY-based eligibility rules risk exclusion, raise ethical concerns, and fail to reflect the complexity of fairness in sport

• The International Olympic Committee policy restricts eligibility for the women’s category using a single genetic criterion, which the FGG believes oversimplifies both biology and athletic performance.

• The framework effectively excludes transgender women from meaningful participation, as alternative categories do not align with their identity or offer equivalent opportunities.

• Mandatory genetic testing and the lack of cited scientific evidence raise concerns around privacy, proportionality, and transparency in policy development.

The International Olympic Committee has introduced a new policy for Olympic sport that restricts eligibility for the women’s category to athletes who test negative for the SRY gene, a genetic marker typically associated with male sex development. Under this framework, athletes who test positive—including transgender women and some individuals with variations in sex characteristics—are not eligible to compete in the women’s category, but may participate in male or open categories where available.

The Federation of Gay Games (FGG) has strong concerns about this policy change. While alternative categories are presented as inclusive options, they do not offer a meaningful pathway for transgender women. Participation in sport is closely tied to identity, and competing in categories that do not align with one’s gender is, for many athletes, not a viable or dignified option. As a result, this policy effectively removes access to elite competition in practice, even if not in name.

The FGG believes this approach undermines the inclusion of transgender women in sport in several ways:

• It prevents athletes from competing in categories that reflect their identity.

• It relies on alternative divisions that often lack equivalent status, structure, or recognition.

• It signals that transgender women do not belong in women’s sport, weakening efforts to build inclusive environments.

• It creates barriers that discourage continued participation and progression within sport.
  

The policy also raises broader concerns for women’s sport and sporting systems more generally:

• Mandatory genetic testing introduces significant ethical questions around privacy, consent, and bodily autonomy—particularly in the case of minors.

• The normalisation of biological verification risks increasing scrutiny of women’s bodies, with historical evidence showing this disproportionately affects women of colour and those with natural biological variations.

• It establishes a precedent for genetic-based eligibility rules that may extend beyond elite sport, raising wider societal implications.
  

While the IOC states that its policy is based on scientific evidence, it does not reference specific studies or clearly outline the data underpinning its conclusions. Greater transparency around the evidence base and decision-making process is essential to enable informed and balanced discussion.

In reality, openly transgender women represent a very small proportion of elite athletes. Available research remains limited and contested, with no clear evidence of consistent or systemic dominance in competition following transition. This raises questions about whether the policy is proportionate to the scale and nature of the issue it seeks to address.

The likely consequences of this approach include reduced participation, increased marginalisation, and a weakening of efforts to make sport accessible to diverse communities. It may also discourage future generations of athletes from engaging in sport if they do not see a pathway that includes them.

The FGG recognises that this is a complex and sensitive issue. Safeguarding fairness in women’s sport is essential, and sporting bodies have a responsibility to ensure that competition remains equitable and safe. These are legitimate concerns that deserve thoughtful and evidence-based solutions.

However, the current structure of strictly sex-based categories does not accommodate all athletes. Rather than exploring models that balance fairness with inclusion, this policy reinforces boundaries in a way that excludes transgender women from meaningful participation. The FGG believes that international sporting bodies have an opportunity to evolve their frameworks to reflect both the diversity of athletes and the values of modern sport—and that this policy moves in the opposite direction.

The Federation of Gay Games remains committed to a model of sport that prioritises participation, inclusion, and human dignity. At Gay Games XII, taking place from June 27 to July 4, 2026 in Valencia, athletes are welcomed to compete in categories that reflect their gender identity, without the requirement for legal or medical documentation. With more than 8,500 participants expected across 37 sports and cultural events, the Gay Games continues to demonstrate that inclusive sport is not only possible—but thriving.

Marni Panas, Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional and transgender woman athlete, said:

“The International Olympic Committee’s decision to ban transgender women from competition is not based on science, evidence, or fairness. It is rooted in fear, ideology, and bigotry.  It does nothing to address the real barriers women and girls face every day: underfunding, abuse, unequal access to training and facilities, pay inequity, and systemic sexism that continues to go unchallenged. It is also legitimizing a dangerous rhetoric that frames trans women as threats. That rhetoric fuels discrimination, increases violence, and accelerates the erasure of trans people from public life.”

Kimberly Hadley, FGG Officer of Sport, added:

“Sport has always included a wide range of natural physical differences. Yet historically, the burden of scrutiny has fallen disproportionately on women—particularly women of colour—who are asked to prove their eligibility. Policies that increase this scrutiny risk reinforcing inequities rather than resolving them. Sport should be a space of inclusion, respect, and opportunity for all.”