The American Olympic and Paralympic Committee has effectively halted transgender women from competing in women’s games, stating that the associations have a “obligation to comply” a “compliance”. executive Order Was released by President Trump.
New policy announced on Monday A cool change on UsopC’s website And the national game confirmed in a letter sent to the governing bodies, follows a similar step By NCAA earlier this year.
The USOPC change is notablely notable as an extension under the “USOPC Athlete Safety Policy” and Sri Trump’s Executive Order, “Men’s Keeping out of women’s game”, signed in February. This order, among other things, threatened to “save all funds” from organizations that allow transgender athlete participation in women’s game.
US Olympic officials told the national glory bodies that they would need to follow the suit, saying that “USOPCs are engaged in a series of respectable and creative interactions with federal officials” as Mr. Trump has signed the order.
“As a federally chartered organization, we have the responsibility of following federal expectations,” USOPC CEO Sarah Hirsheland and President Jean Syx wrote in a letter. “Our amended policy emphasizes the importance of ensuring fair and safe competition environment for women. All national glory bodies need to update their applied policies in alignment.”
At the 2024 Olympics in Paris, just an open transgender US athlete competed. Nikki HiltsA middle-turned runner from California that uses them/her pronouns, was handed over women at birth. It is not clear how the changes declared by the UsopC will affect Hiltz.
But Usopc meeting in AprilHirsheland said the committee had no plans to define eligibility criteria before the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“Generally speaking an international level, the International Union will define the eligibility criteria for the events in which they would define the eligibility criteria for their events domesticly with the jurisdiction, World Cup, World Championships, et Sitera, and national glory bodies,” said Hirsheland. “In some cases they may be elite level events, national championships and things. In other cases they may have lower level of young sports competitions and things of that nature. So we do not have, nor we will have an eligibility policy, it will not be appropriate, it is not our role to take in that situation.”
The National Women’s Law Center made a statement condemning the move.
“By giving political demands, the USOPC is abandoning the needs and safety of its own athletes,” said Fatima Gaus Graves, president and CEO of the organization.
The UsopC oversees approximately 50 national glory bodies, most of which play a role in everything to the elite levels of their game at the ground level. This increases the possibility that rules may be required to change the rules in local sports clubs to maintain their membership in NGBs.
Some of those outfits – for example, the USA Track and Field – has long followed the guidelines set by their own World Federation. World athletics is considering changes in its policies which will mostly be in line with Mr. Trump’s order.
A USA swimming The spokesperson said the Federation was conveyed about the change of the USOPC and was consulting with the committee to find out what changes it needed to make. The USA fencing changed its policy effective August 1, which is only to allow “athletes’ female sex” and to open the events of men “all athletes are not eligible for women’s category, including transgender women, transgender men, non-dwellers and intersex athletes and sisgender male athletes”.
The nationwide fight over transgender athletes on girls and women’s sports teams has played at both state and federal levels as the Republican has depicted the issue as a battle for athletic impartiality. More than two dozen states have enacted laws preventing transgender women and girls from participating in some sports competitions. Some policies have been blocked by people in court who say that policies say discriminatory, cruel and unnecessarily targets a small niche of athletes.
Supreme court earlier this month Coused to hear a case on whether states could prevent transgender athletes from participating in girls and women.
Earlier this month, justice department A civil lawsuit filed against the education department of California And a non -government sports organization alleged that they have violated the federal civil rights laws Title ixState athletic events “forces girls to compete against boys” by applying policies.
The NCAA handed over athletes to a woman at birth to change its participation policy for transgender athletes to limit competition in women’s game. The change came a day after Mr. Trump signed the executive order with the aim of signing an executive order with the objective of banning transgender athletes from girls and women’s games.
Earlier this month, Pennsylvania University Said it will happen Ban transgender women from participating in your women’s sports teams as part of an agreement to solve the title IX violation. The Trump administration opened an inquiry in the school to allow permission Lia ThomasA transgender swimmer, to compete Its women’s swimming team In 2021 and 2022.
Women Eligibility is an important issue for the International Olympic Committee Its new chairman, under Kirsty CovantryWho has indicated attempts to “protect women category”. IOC has allowed individual sports associations to determine its rules in the Olympics – and some have already taken steps on the subject.
Strict rules on transgender athletes – preventing women’s events, which anyone has passed through male puberty – is passed by swimming, cycling and track and field. The soccer is reviewing his eligibility rules for women and can determine the limit on testosterone.
Mr. Trump has said that he wants IOC to change everything “What to do with this absolutely ridiculous subject.”
As he took over earlier this year, the President, while signing an executive order, announced that this policy of the federal government is only recognized. “Two gender, male and female.” Mr. Trump campaigned on this issue and spent ten million dollars Political advertisements focusing on transgender rights,
Contributed to this report.
