Jul 22, 2025 - Politics & Policy

U.S. Olympic committee bans trans women from competing in women's sports

Sareen Habeshian

White flag with five interlocking Olympic rings in blue, yellow, black, green, and red, flying on a flagpole against a clear sky. — An Olympic rings flag on March 30 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Kirby Lee/Getty Images

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has updated its policies to ban transgender women from competing in women's sports, in line with President Trump's executive order.

The big picture: Trump's push to end protections for transgender people, including the banning of trans athletes from women's sports, has left transgender and nonbinary people across the U.S. navigating an upended sports landscape.

Zoom in: The committee's rule change is evident in a 27-page "Athlete Safety Policy" posted on its website Monday, which refers to Trump's executive order while omitting the use of the word "transgender."

"The USOPC is committed to protecting opportunities for athletes participating in sport," the document reads.
The committee will continue to collaborate with various stakeholders "to ensure that women have a fair and safe competition environment consistent with Executive Order 14201," it says.
The committee did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Between the lines: The new policy indicates that the national governing bodies of sports federations in the U.S. must now follow the committee's lead, the New York Times reports.

Zoom out: The U.S. had a trans woman as an alternate in the Tokyo Olympics, in addition to at least three other openly trans and nonbinary athletes from other countries.

Go deeper: Trump administration probes lead to trans care cutbacks

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U.S. Olympic committee bans trans women from competing in women's sports

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