USA: Trans women banned from Olympic sports

Transgender women are no longer permitted to compete in Olympic competitions in the USA: Last Monday (July 21), an updated policy went into effect that is intended to "ensure a fair and safe competitive environment for women," as the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) stated on its website. The new policy follows an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump in February banning transgender athletes from women's sports .

The policy update was added as a new subsection titled "Additional Requirements" to the USOPC website. "The USOPC is committed to protecting opportunities for female athletes," the addendum states. It will continue to work with various advocacy organizations "to ensure a fair and safe competition environment for women," in accordance with the U.S. President's Executive Order.

"We have to meet the government's expectations"

In a message from USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland and President Gene Sykes, obtained by ABC News and ESPN, they stated that as a nationally recognized organization, they have an obligation to "meet the government's expectations." The USOPC's decision came as the Californian coastal metropolis of Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Summer Olympics .

Trump's executive order, titled "No Men in Women's Sports," calls for the withdrawal of federal funding for schools and colleges that allow transgender girls and women to join their women's teams. Institutions that allow "men to take over women's teams or invade [women's] locker rooms" will be investigated, which could lead to the withdrawal of federal aid, Trump warned when signing the order in February.

Transgender people are only a small minority in the US – but a major political issue. During last year's election campaign, Republican President Trump harshly attacked his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris for her support of transgender rights.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has made the elimination of affirmative action and equal opportunity policies for transgender people one of his priorities. Transgender people are people assigned a gender at birth with which they do not identify.