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Imane Khelif faces uncertainty as IOC set to ban all transgender athletes from competing at 2028 Olympics: Report
This new development comes after US President Donald Trump decided to sign an executive order to prevent transgender women from competing in female sports.
All transgender athletes are likely to be banned from the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, according to Daily Mail Sport. There is no information on whether there will be a ban against athletes, like Imane Khelif, with reported differences of sexual development (DSD). Khelif was in the spotlight at Paris 2024, where she clinched a boxing gold in women's 68kg.
As per the existing rules, each sport is given the power to decide if transgender women can compete, if their testosterone levels are below a mentioned threshold. At the Tokyo Olympics, Laurel Hubbard was allowed to participate in weightlifting. Hubbard transitioned in 2012.
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According to the report, the IOC, under new president Kirsty Coventry, is in talks about a significant shift in this policy, where a blanket ban would be implemented across all sports for the 2028 Olympics. But it is not expected to come into place before the Winter Olympics next year. Additionally, it is anticipated that the new policy will take between six months and a year to be fully implemented. This was part of Coventry's campaign, which helped her win the presidential election earlier this year.
This also comes after US President Donald Trump decided to sign an executive order to prevent transgender women from competing in female sports. An IOC statement to Daily Mail Sport claimed, "An update was given by the IOC’s director of health, medicine and science to the IOC Members last week during the IOC commission meetings. The working group is continuing its discussions on this topic, and no decisions have been taken yet."
There was also a presentation delivered by IOC medical, health, and science director Dr Jane Thornton to members last week, which included a science-based review of trans and DSD issues. According to the report, the IOC has not yet reached a decision. The presentation pointed out the distinction between transgender and DSD in athletes who have male chromosomes but were raised as female.
