Republican Lawmakers Urge Olympic Committee to Follow Trump’s Directive on Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports

Republican Lawmakers Urge Olympic Committee to Follow Trump’s Directive on Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports

EXCLUSIVE: A coalition of over two dozen Republican lawmakers from both the Senate and the House is calling on the International Olympic Committee to align its policies with the directive issued by former President Donald Trump. This directive seeks to ensure that opportunities for female athletes are protected on the grand Olympic stage, as reported by Fox News Digital.

Leading this initiative are Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Jim Risch from Idaho and Representative Burgess Owens from Utah. The pair, along with their colleagues, sent a formal letter to IOC President Thomas Bach on Tuesday, which has been exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital.

The timing of this letter is critical, coming just days before the IOC is set to meet for electing its next president and discussing the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympic Games, which will be hosted in Los Angeles.

In their letter, the lawmakers expressed, “The United States looks forward to hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and welcoming the accomplished athletes who have worked tirelessly to reach the pinnacle of their respective sports. As the International Olympic Committee prepares to elect new leadership, we write to express the critical need for increased protection of the rights of female athletes to fair and safe competition.”

Protecting Fairness in Women’s Sports

The lawmakers highlighted the historic achievements of female Olympians, stating, “These athletes, along with many others, have inspired generations of young women worldwide to compete and excel. Their legacy underscores the vital importance of fairness in women’s sports at every level of competition. Future Olympians are counting on the IOC to protect the opportunities of women and girls to contribute to this proud tradition.”

They went on to argue that eligibility for women’s athletic competitions should be based on biological sex. Allowing biological males to compete in women’s categories, they contend, undermines competitive opportunities, safety, and respect for female athletes.

Trump’s Executive Order

In February, Trump issued an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which reinforced the administration’s commitment to preserving fairness, safety, and equal opportunity for female athletes. The representation of women in sports has become a central issue in contemporary athletics, with various stakeholders voicing their opinions.

The Republican lawmakers emphasized that commitment from the IOC to protect women’s sports is paramount as the 2028 Summer Olympics approach. They supported Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s call for the IOC to amend its policies accordingly, stating, “We stand united in calling on the IOC to amend its standards and safeguard the opportunities of female athletes on the Olympic stage.”

Reaffirming Integrity in Sports

The congresspersons urged the IOC to reaffirm its dedication to upholding the integrity of women’s Olympic competitions. They called for measures that ensure only biological women and girls compete in female sports categories. The lawmakers stressed the Olympic Games should set a benchmark for integrity in sports.

They wrote, “The next IOC president must firmly defend the rights of dedicated female athletes. We look forward to your leadership on this critical issue and demand that the next IOC president preserve the fundamental principles of fair competition.”

Among those who signed the letter are Republican Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Banks, Marsha Blackburn, Steve Daines, Lindsey Graham, Josh Hawley, Jim Justice, James Lankford, Tim Sheehy, and Tommy Tuberville. Key figures in the House, including Lauren Boebert, Vern Buchanan, Tim Burchett, Kat Cammack, Dan Crenshaw, and Claudia Tenney, also endorsed this initiative.

Background on IOC Policies

In 2021, the IOC introduced a revised policy recommendation that called for individual sports bodies to adopt specific parameters to promote gender equality and inclusion in their policies. As part of the preparations for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the IOC released was the “Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations.” This framework prioritized principles such as non-discrimination, fairness, and the right to privacy for athletes.

This overhaul replaced a 2015 policy that required athletes transitioning from male to female to declare their gender identity as female for a minimum period and maintain testosterone levels below a specified threshold prior to their first competition. Previously, the IOC mandated that athletes had undergone surgery to compete in accordance with their gender identity.

Future Implications

As the conversation around transgender athletes in women’s sports continues to evolve, Trump’s directive is poised to have significant implications for the upcoming Olympic Games. During the signing ceremony for his executive order, Trump stated that efforts would be undertaken to prohibit any transgender athletes attempting to compete as women from entering the country for the Olympics in 2028. His administration, along with Republican lawmakers, is focused on safeguarding the future of women’s sports.

As these lawmakers await a response from the IOC regarding their requests, the wider community remains attentive to how this issue will unfold. The continued debate around athlete inclusion and fairness raises critical questions about the future of competitive sports across the globe.