Overview
- On July 21, the USOPC quietly updated its Athlete Safety Policy to align with President Trump’s Executive Order 14201, effectively barring transgender women from women’s sports categories.
- The revision omits any mention of “transgender” and does not outline how the ban will be implemented or enforced.
- USOPC President Gene Sykes and CEO Sarah Hirshland cited the committee’s federal charter in instructing all national governing bodies to revise their eligibility rules accordingly.
- USA Fencing announced it will enforce revised gender guidelines from Aug. 1, restricting transgender women, nonbinary athletes, transgender men and intersex athletes to men’s competitions.
- The policy is expected to affect only a small number of athletes but is likely to spur legal challenges and intensify pressure on the IOC to revise its global eligibility standards ahead of the 2028 Olympics.