Will transgender athletes take part in Paris Olympics 2024?

The participation of transgender athletes in the Paris Olympics 2024 remains a complex and evolving issue. As of early 2024, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has moved away from a one-size-fits-all policy, instead allowing individual sports federations to determine their own eligibility rules for transgender and intersex athletes.

The six-page IOC document, tabled in 2021, outlined 10 principles, which it said was “grounded on the respect for internationally recognised human rights,” and asked the sports federations and competitions to follow. It added that athletes will not be required to undergo hormone level modifications to compete.

“This Framework recognises both the need to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their gender identity or sex variations, can practise sport in a safe, harassment-free environment that recognises and respects their needs and identities,” the committee said.

Some sports bodies have introduced stricter regulations in the aftermath, particularly for transgender women, often requiring lower testosterone levels maintained over longer periods. Others are still developing or refining their policies.

This approach has led to varied rules across different sports. For instance, World Athletics has effectively banned transgender women from elite female competitions, while other federations have more inclusive policies.

The situation is fluid, with ongoing debates balancing fairness, inclusion, and the integrity of women’s sports. Legal challenges and scientific studies continue to shape the landscape.

As the Paris Olympics approach, it’s likely that some transgender athletes will compete in certain events, depending on their individual circumstances and the rules of their specific sports. However, the exact number and which sports they might participate in remains uncertain.

Nikki Hiltz, a 1500m athlete, who was assigned female at birth but uses they/them pronouns, set a US trials record.

They will now be one of the few trans athletes competing in Paris as they are not undergoing hormone therapy and are not subject to World Athletics’ restrictions on trans athletes.

This topic continues to be widely discussed and debated in sports, scientific, and broader social contexts.

Which Olympic sports have banned trans women?

Following the IOC’s decision to grant sporting organisations the authority to establish their own rules regarding transgender participation, numerous official bodies have revised their policies, primarily focusing on transgender women.

In at least 10 Olympic sports, limitations have been placed on the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s competitions.

World Rowing has implemented a near-blanket ban on transgender women competing in female events, and the World Boxing Council prohibits any transgender individuals from taking part in their competitions.

For athletics, cycling, swimming, rugby, and cricket, international governing bodies have prohibited transgender women from entering female events if they had reached puberty prior to starting their transition.

In the case of Hiltz, who was assigned female status at birth and is not undergoing hormone therapy, they are permitted to compete.

The governing bodies for triathlon, tennis, and archery mandate the suppression of testosterone levels to a specified threshold.

Some organisations, like the Badminton World Federation (BWF), have indicated a willingness to evaluate transgender athletes on an individual basis, while FIFA, the global governing body for football, has announced a review of its transgender athlete policy in 2022.

Have trans athletes competed before?

Laurel Hubbard of New Zealand became the first openly transgender lifter to compete at the Olympics. Reuters

In 2021, Laurel Hubbard, a weightlifter from New Zealand, made history as the first openly transgender Olympian when she participated in the Tokyo Games. Despite facing scrutiny over potential advantages, Hubbard finished last in her competition group.

At the same Games, Canadian footballer Quinn, who identifies as non-binary, achieved another milestone by becoming the first non-binary individual to win a medal as part of the gold-winning women’s team.

Alana Smith, a non-binary skateboarder, also represented the United States in the women’s street skateboarding event.

In 2022, Lia Thomas, an American swimmer, made history as the first transgender athlete to clinch a National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) title.

However, she faced a setback when a legal dispute with World Aquatics in June led to her exclusion from Olympic competition under their updated policy, maintaining her ban from the US swimming Olympic trials.

Following a decision by World Athletics to bar transgender women from competing in 2023, French sprinter Halba Diouf, who had been preparing for the Olympics, expressed feeling “marginalised”.