IOC decision on gender eligibility to come in early 2026, says Coventry

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Dec 10 : The International Olympic Committee said on Wednesday it would announce eligibility criteria for transgender athletes early next year, after months of deliberation as it seeks to find a consensus on how to protect the female category.

The issue has been a source of controversy with no universal rule in place for the participation of transgender athletes at the Olympic Games.

The IOC, under new president Kirsty Coventry, did a U-turn in June, deciding to take the lead in setting eligibility criteria for Olympic participation, having previously handed responsibility to the individual sports federations, leading to a confusing patchwork of different approaches.

In September, Coventry set up the 'Protection of the Female Category' working group, made up of experts as well as representatives of international federations, to look into how best to protect the female category in sports.

"We will find ways to find a consensus that has all aspects covered," Coventry told a press conference on Wednesday following an IOC executive board meeting.

"Maybe it is not the easiest thing to do but we will try our best so when we talk about the female category we are protecting the female category."

Coventry said a decision would come in the first months of 2026. 

"We want to make sure we have spoken to all stakeholders, taken adequate time to cross the Ts and dot the Is," she said.

"The group is working extremely well. I don't want to try to constrain the working group by saying they need to have a specific deadline but I am hopeful in the next couple of months and definitely within the first quarter of next year we will have a clear decision and way forward which I think we are all looking forward to," said