The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has updated its policy to comply with an executive order signed earlier this year by U.S. President Donald Trump disallowing transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.
“The USOPC will continue to collaborate with various stakeholders with oversight responsibilities, e.g., IOC, IPC, NGBs, to ensure that women have a fair and safe competition environment consistent with Executive Order 14201 and the Ted Stevens Olympic & Amateur Sports Act,” the USOPC said in an update to its Athlete Safety Policy.
“Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports”: Transgender Athletes Barred
In a letter sent by email to the “Team USA Community,” the U.S.O.P.C. acknowledged on Tuesday that its policy had changed. The letter, from Sarah Hirshland, the U.S.O.P.C.’s chief executive, and Gene Sykes, the president, said the committee had held “a series of respectful and constructive conversations with federal officials” since the executive order was signed.
The committee made the change in an updated “Athlete Safety Policy,” which does not mention the word “transgender” in any of its 27 pages. However, the document, dated June 18 but posted quietly on the USOPC’s website Monday, includes language saying the committee will comply with Trump’ s order.
Trump signed the “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” order in February in a bid to exclude transgender girls and women from female sports, a directive that supporters said will restore fairness but critics argue it infringes on the rights of a tiny minority of athletes.
The order directs the Department of Justice to make sure all government agencies enforce a ban on transgender girls and women from participating in female school sports under Trump’s interpretation of Title IX, a law against sex discrimination in education.
Trump’s order goes beyond high school and college sports, calling for the U.S. government to deny visas for transgender athletes seeking to compete in women’s sports the United States.
The President also stated he would not allow transgender athletes to compete in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
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The executive order instructed the State Department to pressure the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to change its policy, which allows trans athletes to compete under general guidance preventing any athlete from gaining an unfair advantage.
The committee’s new policy means that the national governing bodies of sports federations in the United States now must follow the U.S.O.P.C.’s lead, according to several chief executives of sports within the Olympic movement. Those national governing bodies oversee many, but not all, events in Olympic sports for all ages, from youth to masters’ competitions.
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The updated policy “emphasizes the importance of ensuring fair and safe competition environments for women,” with all national governing bodies required to update their policies to align with the updated guidelines, they added.
Transgender athletes’ participation in sports has triggered divided opinions in recent years, with critics largely focusing on trans girls and women. Critics say that trans competitors who were born male have a physical advantage over those who were born female.
