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USOPC Mandates Transgender Ban in Women’s Sports Under Trump Order

Sports federations must finalize rule changes by early August, with implementation and enforcement mechanisms left undefined.

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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – JUNE 07: A detail view of a United States Olympic Committee (USOC) logo outside Devon Park on June 7, 2025, in Oklahoma City, OK. Devon Park is the world’s largest softball stadium, the permanent venue for the NCAA Women’s College World Series, USA Softball headquarters, National Softball Hall of Fame, and will be the softball venue for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. (Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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.