Olympic women sport go be for biological females only

Di International Olympic Committee announce say from 2028, di women category of Olympic sports go dey for only biological females.

Dem say eligibility go dey determined by a "once-in-a-lifetime" sex test, wey go ban transgender women and dos wit differences in sexual development (DSD) from di competition.

E go take effect from di Los Angeles Olympics.

IOC president Kirsty Coventry say na "medical experts" lead di policy.

"For di Olympic Games, even di smallest margins fit be di difference between victory and defeat," she tok.

"So, e dey absolutely clear say e no go dey fair for biological males to compete for di female category. Plus, e no go dey safe for some sports."

Di IOC tok say eligibility for di female category go dey determined by screening to detect di SRY gene - di sex-determining region Y gene – wey be part of di Y chromosome and dey cause male characteristics to develop.

"Di IOC consider say SRY gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample dey transparent compared to oda possible methods," dem tok.

"Athletes wey screen negative for di SRY gene don permanently satisfy dis policy eligibility criteria to compete for di female category.

"Unless anoda reason dey to believe say di negative reading na mistake, dis go be a once-in-a-lifetime test."

Di IOC say athletes wey fail di test go "continue to dey included for all oda classifications for which dem qualify. For example, dem dey eligible for any male category, wey include one designated male slot within any mixed category, and any open category, or inside sports and events wey no classify athletes by sex."

Until dis announcement, di IOC bin leave sex eligibility regulations for di governing bodies of individual sports, instead of make dem apply universal approach.

While ban dey on athletics, swimming, cycling and rowing, many odas dey allow transgender women to compete for female competition if dem lower dia testosterone levels.

Di ban go also cover almostall athletes wit DSD.

Dis na rare condition wia one pesin hormones, genes and/or reproductive organs fit be a mix of male and female characteristics.

Two-time Olympic women 800m champion Caster Semenya DSD mean say she get male XY chromosomes.

Previously, DSD athletes wey neva go through male puberty fit compete for women sport, in as much as dem keep dia testosterone within certain levels.

Na one exemption dey for di policy for DSD athletes wit rare condition - dat na complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS), wey mean say dem neva go through male puberty.

'A hugely significant decision'

Dis ogbonge decision wey IOC take dey come afta years of controversy on top di participation of transgender and DSD athletes for female competition, plus deep debate on top how sports suppose dey balance fairness and safety wit inclusion.

To show just how sensitive di area of policy don bicom, di IOC don traditionally leave am to international sports to decide on eligibility criteria for female competition. But for inside one major shift in policy, all federations now go dey expected to follow di same direction.

Total ban of transgender athletes and DSD athletes from women's sport go dey welcomed by many wey for long don feel say such move dey important if fairness and safety for di female category go dey preserved.

Supporters say dis approach - based on genetic test - dey reliable and confidential as e get di backing of sports scientists, plus dat of majority of athletes.

Dem also say dis method dey more humane pass asking transgender or DSD athletes to suppress dia natural testosterone levels. Dem add say dis go stop di serious media scrutiny wey some athletes don dey subjected to.

However, opponents still dey concerned say di approach dey offensive, plus risk of accidental contamination and potential false positive dey.

Di IOC bin use di SRY gene test for di 1980s but, afta a number of 'false positives', and fears say female athletes dey chop punishment for natural variations, dem stop sex verification tests for di 1990s.

Now, under mounting pressure, sport most powerful body don begin one new approach, and e go dey interesting to see if e go face any legal challenges now.

How di IOC take reach dia decision

Di IOC tok say dia working group bin review di latest scientific evidence ova di past 18 months, wey dem say show "clear consensus" say "male sex get performance advantage for all sports and events wey rely on strength, power and endurance".

Dem consult "wide range of experts for relevant fields" and one online athlete survey wey get more dan 1,100 responses.

Dem also do interviews wit "impacted athletes from around di world".

Di IOC say: "Feedback from di athlete consultation show say, although differences dey exist across sex and gender, region and athlete status (active/retired), however, strong consensus dey wey make am clear say fairness and safety for di female category require clear, science-based eligibility rules, plus say protecting di female category na common priority."

Di move no apply to any grassroots or recreational sports programmes, and di IOC tok say dem no go apply di findings of any tests anyhow.

Coventry say: "Dem must treat evri athlete wit dignity and respect and go need to dey screened for dia lifetime.

"Clear education around di process must dey and counselling gatz dey available, plus expert medical advice."

Transgender and DSD athlete controversies

In recent years, a growing number of sports federations, wey include World Aquatics and World Athletics, bin ban athletes wey don enta male puberty from competing for elite female competition for di middle of concerns ova fairness and safety.

Last May, di Football Association and England and Wales Cricket Board bin dey among some British sports bodies to follow suit afta UK Supreme Court rule say di legal definition of a woman dey based on biological sex.

Trans rights campaigners bin kick against di move as dem argue say e fit violate human rights, and dem insist say inclusion suppose dey prioritised.

Howeva, dis year, US President Donald Trump sign one executive order wey ban transgender women from competing for female categories.

E say di ban include di 2028 Olympics, e add say im go deny visas for transgender athletes wey go wan visit di US to compete for di Games.

New Zealand Laurel Hubbard bicom di first openly transgender woman to compete for one Olympics afta she dey selected for di women's weightlifting team for Tokyo 2020.

Controversy full di Paris 2024 Olympics afta Algeria Imane Khelif win di women's welterweight boxing gold medal, one year afta dem disqualify am from di World Championships sake of say e reportedly fail one gender eligibility test.

Di IOC clear di 25-year-old to compete, along wit Taiwan Lin Yu-ting, wey di suspended International Boxing Association (IBA) ban.

Di IOC say competitors dey eligible for di women's division if dia passports prove say dem be female.

For di 2016 Olympics for Rio, all three medallists for di women's 800m, including winner Semenya, na DSD athletes, and dat ginger calls for tighter rules.

World Athletics come insist say for track events from 400m up to di mile, DSD athletes must reduce dia testosterone levels in order to dey eligible.

Semenya no gree, she argue say na violation of her human rights and discriminatory.

For di middle of di long legal battle, World Athletics bin make dia rules stricter for 2023.