Rapinoe Slams New Olympic Rule Limiting Women's Events

Former soccer star calls decision a 'total acquiescence' to Trump-era policies.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 3:27pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a women's soccer match, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in navy, green, and red, conceptually representing the divisive debate over inclusion in elite sports.The IOC's new policy excluding transgender athletes from women's events at the 2028 Olympics has sparked outrage from advocates like Megan Rapinoe.Los Angeles Today

The International Olympic Committee has announced a new rule that will restrict women's competition at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics to only biological females, drawing fierce criticism from former U.S. women's national soccer team star Megan Rapinoe.

Why it matters

The decision to exclude transgender and non-binary athletes from women's events has reignited the ongoing debate over inclusion and fairness in elite sports. Rapinoe, a prominent LGBTQ+ advocate, has condemned the move as a regressive step that caters to conservative political agendas.

The details

The IOC's new policy will require athletes to be biologically female in order to compete in women's events at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. This marks a significant shift from the IOC's previous guidelines, which had allowed transgender athletes to compete in women's events if their testosterone levels were below a certain threshold.

  • The new IOC policy will take effect at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The players

Megan Rapinoe

A former U.S. women's national soccer team star and prominent LGBTQ+ advocate who has criticized the IOC's decision as a 'total acquiescence' to conservative political agendas.

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

The international governing body for the Olympic Games that has announced the new policy restricting women's events to biological females.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This is a total acquiescence to the views of the Trump administration and right-wing extremists. It's a devastating blow to the transgender community and all athletes who don't fit into the narrow gender binary.”

— Megan Rapinoe, Former U.S. Women's National Soccer Team Star

What’s next

The IOC's new policy will be implemented at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and it remains to be seen whether there will be further legal challenges or policy changes before then.

The takeaway

The IOC's decision to restrict women's events to biological females has reignited the debate over inclusion and fairness in elite sports, with critics arguing that it represents a regressive step that caters to conservative political agendas at the expense of transgender and non-binary athletes.