(MENAFN) The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has officially barred transgender women from competing in women’s sports categories, aligning with a federal order issued by President Donald Trump. Although the policy doesn’t explicitly mention transgender athletes, it enforces Trump’s February 5 directive titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which prohibits transgender females from joining women’s teams and threatens to withdraw funding from institutions that fail to comply.

The USOPC’s newly released Athlete Safety Policy commits to creating a “fair and safe competition environment for women,” in accordance with Executive Order 14201. In a notice sent to stakeholders, USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland and President Gene Sykes emphasized the organization’s legal obligation to adhere to federal guidelines and directed all national sports bodies to revise their policies accordingly.

The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) has already begun enforcing the order, having adopted it shortly after it was issued. Trump’s administration has also rolled back a range of transgender rights initiatives from the Biden era, including federal support for gender-affirming care for minors, recognition of non-binary identities, and military service for transgender individuals.

The inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports has sparked global debate. Two female boxers—Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-ting from Chinese Taipei—who were banned in 2023 for possessing male chromosomes went on to win gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, prompting Trump to criticize their participation.

In a high-profile case in 2022, transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, who previously competed on the University of Pennsylvania’s men’s team, won the NCAA women’s 500-yard freestyle title. The following year, the World Athletics Council enacted its own ban on transgender women who had undergone male puberty.

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