Let Them Play?

IOC presidential candidate Juan Antonio Samaranch says he’s in favor of the International Olympic Committee taking control of the narrative regarding transgender athletes at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"We saw Paris, one of the most, if not the most successful Games in history, and that issue tainted them," Samaranch told Reuters this week.

The issue Samaranch is referring to includes Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting being falsely labeled transgender.

This led to vitriol in the news cycle that eventually led to Khelif retiring after a gut-wrenching Olympic tournament and a false and transphobic news cycle.

The IOC released a statement regarding both athletes, how the confusion came about, and their zero tolerance of transphobia and bullying.

At the moment, the IOC leaves eligibility up to each federation. Unfortunately, the IBA ruling introduced doubt in the court of public opinion.

“There's the tension around the question of who should be eligible to compete in the women's category in sports, in this case in boxing,” Katie Barnes, ESPN writer, and author of Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates, told PBS News Hour.

“There is a disagreement, it would seem, between the IBA and the IOC … we don't know the specifics of the disagreement, but the IBA has vigorously defended its decision to disqualify Khelif and Lin Yu-ting. And the IOC has vigorously defended its decision to include them both in women's boxing competition in Paris.”

Samaranch wants to end the confusion by having the IOC set the standards for competition regarding gender.

“Paris demonstrated that the social alarm on this issue is still there, and there is a common understanding... for the IOC as the leader of the world of sports to be the leader also on this issue,” he said.

“We should try our best to have it (decision) in place before the Milano-Cortina Games. I think it's almost mandatory to try. The timeline is very short, but the timeline is there,” Samaranch added.

Should the IOC rule ahead of the Milano-Cortina Winter Games, that ruling would likely be upheld for the 2028 Summer Games hosted by the United States.

The current U.S. President, Donald Trump, has acted to ban transgender athletes from competition by way of an executive order signed last month. The Administration has also sounded off about transgender athletes at the LA 2028 Games.

Earlier this month, Reuters published where each candidate stands on the topic, here is a summary:

• David Lappartient: French, head of the international cycling federation

  As for transgender athletes, it is a complex matter that must be dealt with rationally to strike the right balance between the need to respect human rights and the obligation to ensure fair competition.

  We cannot ignore what female athletes are saying, but our decisions must also be grounded on solid scientific evidence.

  The IOC must guide International Federations towards decisions based on common principles and avoid a situation in which each International Federation takes a different stance in equivalent scenarios, which could harm the unity of the Olympic Movement.

• Johan Eliasch, Swedish/British, President of the International Ski Federation

  Women’s sports must be ring-fenced: no ifs, no buts. There can be no grey areas. The integrity of women’s sport must be protected whatever the cultural pressures. In the face of these pressures, fairness and clarity can be achieved if we come back to biological facts. We must be guided by biological fact, not cultural trends. Regardless of current testosterone levels, exposure to puberty creates sex differences in height, weight and so on which can provide a sporting advantage.

  …

  The IOC should lead the way, establishing a simple and clear policy to ensure a fair and safe environment for all athletes, particularly women.

  …

  What is paramount is not public opinion or prevailing trends but the integrity and safety of women’s sport.

• Juan Antonio Samaranch: Spanish, Member of the Spanish National Olympic Committee

  The IOC has a fundamental duty to safeguard women's sport by adopting a policy to maintain unambiguous distinctions between men's and women's categories. The IOC must lead on this issue by setting clear guidelines for competition.

• Kirsty Coventry: Zimbabwean. National Sports Minister

  I am dedicated to the equality of all athletes from all countries, which also means strengthening women’s sports by protecting female athletes and promoting equal opportunities for women at all levels of our Movement.

• Sebastian Coe, British, President of World Athletics

  Protect and promote the integrity of women’s sport. I will advocate for clear, science-based policies that safeguard the female category.

  We will work closely with world-leading medical and educational institutions to increase research into female health, performance and exercise physiology. Women’s sport is at a critical juncture. We must navigate this with sensitivity and resolve to ensure current and future generations of women choose sport.

• Morinari Watanabe: Japanese, president of the international gymnastics federation

  No reference.

• Feisal Al Hussein: Jordanian - President of the Jordan Olympic Committee

  No reference.

The next IOC President will be selected this month at the 144th IOC Session, which will be held from March 18 to March 21 in Greece.

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