US Olympic policy overhaul sparks debate over transgender athlete inclusion

USOPC Updates Transgender Athlete Policy

On July 21, 2025, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) announced a policy change that bars transgender women from competing in women’s events at the Olympics and Paralympics. The update appears under a new subsection titled Additional Requirements on the USOPC Athlete Safety Policy page.

Policy Context

• The revision follows Executive Order 14201, issued by former President Donald Trump, which urges “keeping men out of women’s sports.”
• It references the Ted Stevens Olympic & Amateur Sports Act of 1988, a federal framework for resolving eligibility disputes in Olympic and amateur competitions.

USOPC Leadership Statement

Chief Executive Officer Sarah Hirshland and President Gene Sykes sent a memo to Team USA that cites the Trump executive order. The memo emphasizes the USOPC’s duty as a federally chartered organization to follow federal guidelines and to protect opportunities for athletes while ensuring a fair and safe environment for women. The correspondence notes that all National Governing Bodies must align their policies with the new USOPC requirements.

Implications for Athletic Communities

• Transgender athletes assigned female at birth are permitted to compete in women’s sports.
• Transgender women are excluded from women’s competitions at the international level.
• The NCAA, in response to the Trump order, also limits women’s sports to athletes assigned female at birth.

USOPC and Future Olympic Host

The policy change arrives as Los Angeles competes for a potential host position for the 2028 Summer Olympics. The USOPC’s adjustments reflect the broader federal movement that seeks to preserve traditional single-sex athletic competitions.