UN Condemns IOC's Planned Sex Testing for Female Athletes

The International Olympic Committee's proposal to implement genetic testing for women athletes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games faces backlash from human rights experts.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced plans to implement genetic sex testing for women athletes competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, sparking fierce criticism from United Nations human rights experts. This controversial practice, which has a fraught history of targeting women with variations in sex characteristics, has been widely condemned as unethical, unscientific, and discriminatory.

Why it matters

The IOC's renewed focus on sex testing undermines years of progress towards gender equality in sports. Past cases have shown the arbitrary and unrigorous application of these regulations, which have disproportionately disadvantaged women athletes, particularly those from the Global South. This debate reflects a larger societal conversation about inclusivity, fairness, and respecting the human rights of all participants in sports.

The details

Sex testing in sports has a long and problematic history, often resulting in the exclusion of women athletes with higher natural testosterone levels. Despite a lack of scientific consensus on the performance advantages of elevated testosterone, women have been subjected to invasive testing, while men have never faced similar scrutiny. Past legal challenges, such as those by Indian sprinter Dutee Chand and South African athlete Caster Semenya, have successfully challenged these discriminatory regulations.

  • The IOC announced plans for genetic sex testing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics last year.
  • The IOC's stance during the 2024 Paris Games, supporting Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, demonstrated a commitment to inclusion.

The players

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

The international governing body for the Olympic Games, responsible for setting policies and regulations for Olympic sports.

Dutee Chand

An Indian sprinter who successfully challenged sex testing regulations in 2015, leading to the temporary scrapping of global sex testing rules for women runners.

Caster Semenya

A South African athlete who challenged sex testing at the European Court of Human Rights, with a judge noting the disadvantages she faced as a Black woman from the Global South.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

Instead of pursuing potentially discriminatory practices, the IOC should prioritize its own framework for inclusion, developed to promote fairness and dignity for all athletes. This framework emphasizes evidence-based approaches and respects the human rights of all participants, ensuring a level playing field for all competitors.