IOC Reportedly to Update Policy on Transgender Athletes: Details, Reaction

The Olympics are set to become more inclusive than ever before, as the International Olympic Committee reportedly set forth new guidelines for the participation of transgender athletes.

According to ESPN.com's Christina Kahrl, the revised rules will place fewer restrictions on transgender athletes when it comes to their ability to compete in the Games.

Per Olympic.org, the revised policy will now allow those who transition from female to male to compete under any and all circumstances.

For those who have transitioned from male to female, they must identify themselves as female, which cannot change from a competition standpoint for four years. Also, the athlete must have an approved testosterone level 12 months prior to competition, maintain the appropriate hormone level throughout competition and pass any potential hormone-level tests.

According to Kahrl, this is in stark contrast to the Olympics' previous rules, which required gender reassignment surgery in order for transgender athletes to compete. That is no longer part of the policy.

Per Cyd Zeigler of Outsports, who first reported the impending changes, Providence Portland Medical Center chief medical physicist of radiation oncology Joanna Harper believes the Olympics' new guidelines are a huge step in the right direction after attending an IOC-organized meeting on the matter:

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The new IOC transgender guidelines fix almost all of the deficiencies with the old rules. Hopefully, organizations such as the ITA will quickly adapt to the new IOC guidelines and all of the outdated trans policies will get replaced soon. ...

The waiting period for trans women goes from two years after surgery to one year after the start of HRT. This matches up with the NCAA rules and is as good as anything. The waiting period was perhaps the most contentious item among our group and one year is a reasonable compromise.

"

Zeigler also reported the rules are expected to officially be in place prior to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

If that is the case, then the 2016 Summer Games could be historic not only because they are the first to be held in South America, but also due to the possibility of a transgender athlete's qualifying for the first time ever.

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