IOC Restructures, Eliminates Gender Equality Commission Amid Eligibility Rule Changes

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has eliminated its Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commission as part of a significant organizational restructuring. This move comes several months after the IOC adopted new eligibility rules for women's sports, which reserve female events for biological females, set to take effect with the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The commission is among 12 permanent advisory bodies being replaced by smaller working groups tasked with addressing specific issues. Other discontinued groups include advisory committees on human rights, sustainability, technology, education, and commercial partnerships.

The IOC stated that these changes, which follow over a year of consultations, are intended to streamline operations and enable more targeted engagement on strategic priorities and policy development. Several institutional bodies, including the Athletes’ Commission and Ethics Commission, will continue to operate.

Under IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the organization previously utilized a smaller, confidential expert group to review eligibility for women's competition. This process led to the policy announced on March 26, which requires a one-time screening for the SRY gene, typically associated with male sex development. The policy excludes transgender women from female Olympic events and also affects some athletes with differences in sex development, with limited exceptions.

Coventry defended the policy, stating that it would be unfair for biological males to compete in the female category and emphasizing the importance of athletes' dignity and access to support. The IOC's approach has garnered mixed reactions; the United Nations special rapporteur on violence against women and girls welcomed the policy for protecting female athletes' fairness and safety, while Human Rights Watch expressed concerns that mandatory genetic screening could infringe on privacy and expose individuals to discrimination.

The IOC's decision to focus on sex-based eligibility for women's sports aligns with efforts by some U.S. political figures, including former President Donald Trump, who issued an executive order directing the State Department to advocate for such standards at the IOC. The restructuring follows a pause in the affected commissions' work, which began in February.