IOC rules transgender athletes can take part in Olympics without surgery

The International Olympic Committee has updated its guidelines on the inclusion of trans people in elite sports, in line with current scientific, social and legal attitudes on transgender issues. The following is the advice of the medical and scientific commission, and should be regarded as recommendations, rather than rules or regulations for international sports federations to follow.

The overriding sporting objective is and remains the guarantee of fair competition.

Surgery is not required for trans men (assigned female at birth) and they may take part in men’s events without restriction.

Surgery is not required for trans women (assigned male at birth), but they will need to demonstrate that their total testosterone level in serum has been below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months prior to their first competition (with the requirement for any longer period to be based on a confidential case-by-case evaluation, considering whether or not 12 months is a sufficient length of time to minimize any advantage in women’s competition).

The athlete must have declared that she identifies as a woman. The declaration cannot be changed, for sporting purposes, for a minimum of four years.

IOC rules transgender athletes can take part in Olympics without surgery. (Guardian, 25th January 2016)