U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that female athletes competing at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games may be required to undergo a one-time genetic sex test as part of eligibility verification. The announcement follows ongoing controversy over gender classification in international sports.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, August 6, Trump addressed mounting concerns after gender eligibility disputes overshadowed the Paris 2024 Olympics. Notably, Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting, both previously disqualified by the now-defunct International Boxing Association (IBA) over gender eligibility, were later cleared by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to compete in Paris—though questions about their eligibility remain.
The IBA had claimed that both athletes had not undergone testosterone testing but had been assessed using another confidential method. The organization argued that they held an unfair advantage and did not meet the eligibility standards for women’s competition. However, the IOC overruled the IBA, stating that athletes’ gender eligibility would continue to be based on passport documentation.
When asked about stricter eligibility standards, especially in combat sports, Trump said:
“There is going to be a very strong form of testing. If the test doesn’t come out appropriately, they won’t be in the Olympics.”
He added that any criminal implications for false gender representation would fall under the Department of Justice, although no legal framework was outlined. Trump also announced the creation of a White House Olympic Task Force, which he will personally oversee, to coordinate preparations for the 2028 Games.
This move aligns with new policies by World Athletics, which will require all female athletes to undergo one-time genetic testing for the presence of the SRY gene—a key biological marker of sex—before the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo. The test, using non-invasive cheek swabs or blood samples, will be mandatory from September 1.
High-profile athletes, including Team GB’s Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Hunter Bell, are among those expected to comply with the new testing ahead of the Tokyo competition, which begins September 13.
The Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will mark the city’s third time hosting the Games, after 1932 and 1984. The last Summer Olympics held in the United States was in Atlanta in 1996.