Olympics: Sex testing harms all women and girls
- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) should abandon potential plans to mandate genetic sexrefers to the classification of a person as male, female, or other - usually made at birth, written on a birth certificate, and usually based on the appearance of their external anatomy. A person’s sex, however, is actually a combination of bodily characteristics, including chromosomes, hormones, internal and external reproductive organs, and secondary sex characteristics. More testing and to ban transgender and intersexan umbrella term for the spectrum of variations of sex characteristics that naturally occur within the human species. Intersex people are born with variations of sex characteristics (such as genitals, reproductive organs, hormonal and chromosomal patterns) that are more diverse than stereotypical definitions of male or female bodies. Up to 1.7% of the global population are born with such traits; yet, because their bodies are seen as different, intersex children and adults are often stigmatised and subject to harmful practices – including in medical settings - and discriminated against. More athletes
- The opaque “Working Group on the protection of the female category” has reportedly recommended the IOC implement universal genetic sex testing of all women and girl athletes and a complete ban on transgender and intersex athletes
- After the 1996 Olympic Games, the IOC voted to discontinue universal sex testing for being scientifically inaccurate and ethically unjustifiable
(Amsterdam, March 17, 2026) – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) should abandon potential plans to mandate genetic sex testing and to ban transgender and intersex athletes, the Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA), ILGA World, Humans of Sport and over 70 other allied organisations said in a joint statement released today.
Multiple sources have reported that the opaque “Working Group on the protection of the female category,” has recommended that the IOC implement universal genetic sex testing of all women and girl athletes and a complete ban on transgender and intersex athletes. This would constitute an astounding rollback on gender equality and set women’s sport back 30 years.
“A sex testing and blanket ban policy would be a catastrophic erosion of women’s rights and safety. Genderrefers to a social construct which places cultural and social expectations on individuals based on their assigned sex. More policing and exclusion harm all women and girls, and undermine the very dignity and fairness the IOC claims to uphold. Our concerns are compounded by the fact that the IOC also seems to be, at the same time, divesting from the safe sport infrastructure that actually provides protection for women and girls.”
Andrea Florence, Executive Director of the Sport & Rights Alliance
After the 1996 Olympic Games, the IOC voted to discontinue universal sex testing as being scientifically and ethically unjustifiable, since it was an inaccurate test of both sex and athletic advantage and was resulting in considerable harm to affected athletes.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Women, the World Medical Association, American Medical Association and, most recently, a group of independent UN experts have long condemned sex testing and medically unnecessary interventions as discriminatory, unethical, and harmful.
“Requiring women and girls to undergo mandatory genetic screening just to participate in sport would revive a practice that – even if it’s a ‘one-time test’ – violates women’s and girls’ privacy, exposes them to extreme public scrutiny, humiliation, and opens a pathway to medically unnecessary interventions. People often forget that child athletes compete at the Olympics and international competitions – this policy would cause massive safeguarding risks by requiring young women and children’s bodies to be investigated and their intimate health information disclosed, potentially leading to permanent harm to their dignity, mental health, and safety.”
Dr. Payoshni Mitra, Executive Director of Humans of Sport
Banning transgender and intersex athletes in the name of “fairness” ignores the reality that these athletes are some of the most stigmatised groups in sport, disproportionately facing barriers to access, widespread harassment and abuse, and other disadvantages. There is no evidence that policing women’s and children’s bodies improves fairness or gender equality; instead, it shifts the focus away from real issues like unequal funding, access to training, pay disparities, and gender-based violence in sport.
“Sport should be a place of belonging. We urge the IOC to prioritise safety over politics and not allow a policy that actively puts all women at risk. Invasive policing of women’s bodies should concern everyone as it reinforces harmful stereotypes and exposes all women and LGBTIacronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people. Although this is not the acronym available to describe people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics, it is the most commonly used in United Nations spaces and advocacy. More athletes to further harassment and scrutiny.”
Julia Ehrt, Executive Director of ILGA World
This new policy would represent a total reversal of the IOC’s own 2021 Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination – a widely-respected document informed by extensive research and engagement with over 250 athletes and experts, which recognised the need for evidence-based, sport-specific, and rights-respecting eligibility rules. The IOC has ignored repeated requests for transparency on the Working Group’s approach and genuine consultation with impacted athletes, leading researchers on transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. More and intersex athletic performance, and human rights experts. The IOC should adhere to its own good governance standards, and ensure independent scientific and human rights scrutiny.
“The IOC must not turn its back on women and girls of colour. I gave so much time and effort to building the 2021 Framework and have repeatedly shared my views. I hope the IOC will not ignore us. As a Black African woman, I ask the IOC to ensure international sport upholds athletes’ human rights and does not promote institutionalised discriminationunequal or unfair treatment which can be based on a range of grounds - such as age, ethnic background, disability, and diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions or sex characteristics, amongst others. More.”
Francine Niyonsaba, Olympic Silver medalist from Burundi
In recent years, sport eligibility regulations have targeted women of colour from the Global South, often with no evidence and on the basis of appearance. Mandatory genetic sex testing stems directly from these efforts and will continue to disproportionately harm these women and girls who are already more likely to face discrimination and barriers to access sport.
“As an Olympian who competed against Caster Semenya in the 2009 World Championships, I know first-hand that inclusion does not come at the expense of fairness. It would be devastating to see the IOC reject fair and evidence-based policymaking in favour of an irresponsible and politically expedient position, while ignoring the actual needs of women and girls in sport. The Olympic Movement deserves better than that.”
Dr. Madeleine Pape, sociologist at the University of Lausanne
Finally, the IOC and International Federations (IFs) are in no position to oversee how mandatory genetic screening will be implemented across 200+ diverse national contexts.
While this has the potential to harm all women and girls, the harms would be particularly pronounced in Global South countries that have fewer resources and protections for athletes. According to the U.S.-based non-profit The Inclusion Playbook, the sex verification testing proposed by the IOC can cost upwards of $10,000 USD per athlete; how IFs or other governing bodies will pay for these costs remains to be seen.
The Sport & Rights Alliance, ILGA World, Humans of Sport and the undersigned organisations call on the IOC to immediately reverse these plans to sex test and ban women on the basis of their chromosome status, and to fulfil its commitments in the Olympic Charter to ensure that every individual has “access to the practice of sport, without discrimination of any kind in respect of internationally recognised human rights.”
About the Sport & Rights Alliance
The Sport & Rights Alliance’s mission is to promote the rights and well-being of those most affected by human rights risks associated with the delivery of sport.
Its partners include Amnesty International, The Assist, Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), Football Supporters Europe, Human Rights Watch, ILGA World – The International Lesbianadjective/noun to describe a woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women. Women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves. More, Gayadjective to describe people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional
attractions are to people of the same gender. Men, women and non-binary people may use this
term to describe themselves. More, Bisexualadjective used to describe a person who has the capacity to form enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or to those of other genders. More, Trans and Intersex Association, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Transparency International, and World Players Association, UNI Global Union.
As a global coalition of leading nongovernmental organisations and trade unions, the Sport & Rights Alliance works together to ensure sports bodies, governments, and other relevant stakeholders give rise to a world of sport that protects, respects, and fulfils international standards for human rights, labour rights, child wellbeing and safeguarding, and anti-corruption.
About Humans of Sport
Humans of Sport (HoS) is an organisation dedicated to empowering athletes and transforming the world of sport by securing their livelihoods, remedying injustices, and strengthening their access to fundamental rights. The organisation works with athletes harmed by sex-testing policies in sport globally, with particular focus on athletes coming from Asia and Africa.
About ILGA World
ILGA World is a worldwide federation of more than 2,000 organisations from over 170 countries and territories campaigning for the human rights of people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristicsa term that refers to physical features relating to sex - including genitalia and other sexual and reproductive anatomy, chromosomes, hormones, and secondary physical features emerging from puberty. More.
Signatories organisations (as of 31 March 2026)
- Access to Good Health Nigeria Initiative
- Activ’Elles
- AG Bildung e.V./IVF Leipzig
- Alwan Foundation
- Argentina Intersex
- Athlete Rights Australia
- Asociación Peruana de Personas Intersexuales
- Asociación Red de Jóvenes para la Incidencia Política – INCIDEJOVEN
- Association of Russian-Speaking Intersex (ARSI)
- Best Practices Policy Project
- Beyond the Boundary-Knowing and Concerns Intersex
- Bi+ Equal
- Bi+ Nederland
- Bi+ Pride Victoria
- BIMBA
- Brown Girl Woke
- Brújula Intersexual
- BuNTes Netzwerk des queeren Sports, Germany
- Caminar Intersex
- Canadian Women’s Wheelchair Rugby Program – Northern Lights
- Centre for Sport Policy Studies
- Colombia Diversa
- Consortium for Intersectional Justice
- Crème de la crème house of fame foundation Nigeria
- Direitos humanos Intersexo Angola ( DHIA)
- Égale Canada
- EPL
- Equal Namibia
- Equality Australia
- European Gay & Lesbian Sports Federation
- FairPlay – initiative for antidiscrimination and diversity in sport
- FairSquare
- Fare Network
- Feminist Sport Lab
- Festival Nacional Trans de la Cumbia – Barranquilla, Colombia
- Football v Homophobiafear, unreasonable anger, intolerance or/and hatred directed towards people attracted to others of the same gender. More/Transphobia
- Football v Homophobia/Transphobia
- FSTB – The Association in Support of Transgender Children
- Fundación : lilas y lavandas de Bogotá, Colombia .
- Fundacja Interakcja, Polska (Interaction Foundation, Poland)
- Gamut 1
- Gendered Intelligence
- GIN SSOGIE
- Global Alliance For Queerpreviously used as a derogatory term to refer to LGBT individuals in the English language – and still perceived as offensive by some - queer has been reclaimed by people who identify beyond traditional gender categories and heteronormative social norms. Although not universally accepted, it is often used as a catch-all to include many people within the larger community of people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics. More Leaders (GAQL)
- Haus of Khameleon
- Helen Lenskyj Research
- Hiduru
- Humans of Sport
- IGLYO – The International LGBTQI Youth & Student Organisation
- ILGA World
- Inter Solidarity
- interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth
- InterAction Switzerland (Swiss intersex association)
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Ethics, Regulation and Integrity in Sport, KU Leuven
- International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
- International Planned Parenthood Federation
- International Research Center for Sport and Gender Equality (SGE), Seijo University
- International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA)
- Intersex Danmark
- Intersex Greece
- Intersex Sverige
- IntersexEsiste Aps (Italy)
- IntersexUK iUK
- Intersukupuolisten ihmisoikeudet ISIO ry
- Just Futures Collaborative
- Just.Equal Australia Inc
- Las Polas
- LEAP Sports Scotland
- Lex Athleta
- LSVD+ – Federation Queer Diversity
- MANODIVERSA
- MOSAIC, MENA Organisation for Services Advocacy Integration and Capacity Building
- Moving The Goalposts
- Nakoon – Lebanon
- National Women’s Law Center
- Nguvu Collective
- NNID Foundation, Netherlands expertise center for sex diversity
- Oceania Pride
- One Future Collective
- Organisation Intersex International Europe e.V. (OII Europe)
- Organisation Intersex International Germany e.V. (OII Germany)
- Orgullo Ecatepec A.C
- Oui Pour La Vie
- Outright International
- Outsport Network – AiCS LGBTI
- Pan Idræt Denmark
- Plataforma nacional ConGnero (Colombia)
- Pratyay Gender Support
- Pride and Sports Netherlands
- Pride Cup
- Pride House International
- Pride In Touch CIC
- Pride Sports
- Profamilia
- Proud Parents Greece
- Proud2Play
- Proyecto Hortensia
- Queer Kids International
- Queer Women Leaders Uganda (QWLU)
- Queer WorX
- Queer Youth Group
- Quimera
- Rainbow Afghanistan
- ReportOUT
- Right Side HRD NGO
- Savie ASBL NGO LGBTQ DRC
- SAWASF
- Seitenwechsel Sportverein für FrauenLesbenTrans*Inter* und Mädchen e. V.
- Sentiido
- Sex og Politikk (IPPF Norway)
- Sexuality Policy Watch
- South Asia Transgender Network
- Spectrum
- Sport & Rights Alliance
- Sports Media LGBT+
- Talay’an Mena Organization
- Te Tiare Association Inc
- TGEU — Trans Europe and Central Asia
- The Collective Asé
- The Diversity Storr
- The Flying Bats Football Club
- The Gender Lab
- The Inclusion Playbook
- The Kolanut Collective (TKC)
- To Better Understand, Inc.
- Tonga Leitis Association
- Trans Affirmative Action Guild (TAAG)
- Transathlete
- Transboys Spain (Asociación de hombres Trans)
- Transfamily Incorporated
- Transgender Netwerk
- Tuvalu Akanda Alliance
- Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism
- USARPA15s
- VIMÖ – OII Austria
- We Trans Pride Toronto
- Women Deliver
- Women Win
- Youth for Change Network (YCN)
