US Olympic and Paralympic officials bar transgender women from competing in women’s sports

Mapaballo Borotho

The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee has banned transgender women from competing in women’s sports.
The decision follows a Trump executive order threatening to cut funding to organisations that allow such participation.
The move has sparked backlash from human rights groups and social media users.

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has announced a new policy barring transgender women from competing in women’s sports.

This move has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from human rights organisations and social media users alike.

The policy was quietly included as a revision under the “USOPC Athlete Safety Policy” and publicly confirmed through a letter sent to all national sport governing bodies.

It aligns with President Donald Trump’s executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which was signed in February.

The order threatens to withhold federal funding from organisations that allow transgender athletes to participate in women’s divisions.

In its letter to national governing bodies, the USOPC stated that it had held “respectful and constructive conversations with federal officials” since the order was signed.

“As a federally chartered organisation, we have an obligation to comply with federal expectations,” wrote USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland and President Gene Sykes.

“Our revised policy emphasises the importance of ensuring fair and safe competition environments for women. All National Governing Bodies are required to update their applicable policies in alignment.”

The decision has ignited fierce debate online, with critics accusing the committee of caving to political pressure and undermining the rights of transgender athletes.