President Donald Trump reset the playing field ahead of the 2028 Olympics when he signed an executive order banning transgender girls and women athletes from participating in female women’s events in USA schools and colleges.
Trump said he would expect the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to change its rules on transgender athletes before the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
To drive the point home, visa applications made by men attempting to enter the United States, while identifying as women athetes would be rejected.
The IOC allowed sports to set their own transgender rules for the 2024 Paris Games.
World Sailing adopted new eligibility rules for transgender athletes in 2024, which came into effect from 1 January 2025.
‘Under the new World Sailing policy, transgender female athletes will only be permitted to participate in the female category of an event, or as a female athlete in the mixed category of an event, if:
- they have not undergone male puberty;
- they are also able to demonstrate that the concentration of testosterone in their blood has been less than 2.5 nanamoles per litre (nmol/L) continuously for a period of at least 12 months prior to the first event in which they wish to compete.
In addition, transgender female athletes must maintain testosterone in their blood below 2.5 nmol/L at all times.
Transgender male athletes will be permitted to compete in the male category of an event, or as a male in the mixed category of an event, if they provide a written and signed declaration that their gender identity is male.’
The full World Sailing policy can be read here.
