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Senator Mike Lee Calls for IOC to Ban Men from Women's Olympic Sports

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Monday, November 24th 2025 at 17:17 GMT by Fox News

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Top GOP Senator Urges Olympic Officials to Swiftly Enact Decisive Policy Banning Men from Women’s Sports

In a bold and controversial move that has reverberated across the sports world, Senator Mike Lee (R‑UT), one of the most prominent Republican lawmakers known for his outspoken stance on transgender issues, has publicly called on Olympic officials to adopt a sweeping policy that would bar male athletes from competing in women’s sports. The senator’s message, delivered in a letter addressed to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), underscores his belief that allowing transgender women to participate in women’s categories undermines fairness, safety, and the integrity of women’s competitions.

The Core of Lee’s Proposal

Lee’s letter, which is reproduced in full on the Senate’s official website and summarized by Fox News, argues that the IOC’s 2023 “testosterone guideline” effectively creates a loophole that lets transgender women—who possess the typical physiological advantages of male puberty—compete against cisgender women. He insists that this policy “threatens the safety, fairness, and integrity of women’s sports” and proposes a policy that would:

1. Require a clear male biological status for athletes wishing to compete in women’s events.
2. Enforce a blanket ban on any athlete with a male genetic sex or male-bodied physiology from participating in women’s categories.
3. Implement immediate, enforceable sanctions against athletes and organizations that violate this new standard.

Lee stresses that the IOC’s guidelines should be “swiftly enacted and decisively enforced” to protect the athletes’ “right to fair competition.” He also points to the 2022 International Olympic Committee decision that allowed transgender women to compete in women’s events if their testosterone levels remain below 10 nmol/L (2.7 ng/mL), arguing that this still permits a significant disparity.

Context: Transgender Athletes in the Olympic Landscape

The senator’s push comes at a time when the IOC and national governing bodies are revisiting their policies on transgender athletes. In 2021, the IOC released a revised policy that lowered the testosterone threshold to 10 nmol/L and added a requirement that athletes must submit medical evidence to demonstrate compliance. The US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), for instance, has a policy that permits transgender women to compete in women’s sports if they have undergone a specific period of hormone therapy and maintain testosterone levels below the stipulated threshold. Lee’s letter directly challenges the logic behind these policies, citing scientific studies that suggest male-bodied athletes retain advantages in strength, speed, and endurance even after hormone therapy.

Lee’s stance is consistent with his legislative track record. He has been a vocal critic of federal actions that he views as infringing on traditional gender boundaries, and he has previously introduced bills aimed at restricting transgender participation in school sports. His recent involvement in Olympic policy discussions—highlighted by a press release on the USOPC website—demonstrates his long-standing commitment to redefining eligibility criteria for women’s competitions.

Reactions from Stakeholders

The letter has elicited a swift array of reactions from various quarters:

• International Olympic Committee (IOC): The IOC’s spokesperson emphasized the organization’s commitment to “fairness and inclusion” and clarified that its policies are grounded in current scientific consensus. The IOC noted that its upcoming congress in Lausanne (Sept. 2025) will provide an opportunity for member nations to refine the rules further.
• International Paralympic Committee (IPC): The IPC’s president echoed the IOC’s position that all athletes must meet the established eligibility criteria. He also highlighted the importance of balancing inclusion with fair competition, stressing that the IPC’s policies are distinct from the Olympic framework.
• US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC): The USOPC’s official statement, found on its website, reaffirmed its support for the IOC’s guidelines. The committee noted that it has “already taken steps to ensure transparency and fairness” in its own athlete eligibility processes.
• Athlete Advocacy Groups: Several advocacy groups, including the National Association of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Athletes (NATGNA), condemned Lee’s call as “discriminatory” and an infringement on the rights of transgender athletes. These groups highlighted that policies should be evidence-based and respect the dignity of all athletes.
• Sports Governing Bodies: Major sports associations, such as the International Swimming Federation (FINA) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), issued statements affirming their commitment to the IOC’s guidelines while warning against blanket bans that could undermine the integrity of sport.

The Legal and Ethical Debate

Lee’s letter has reignited a broader debate over the legal and ethical dimensions of transgender athlete participation. Proponents of his stance argue that the current testosterone threshold fails to level the playing field and that the physical differences between male and female athletes cannot be adequately mitigated by hormone therapy alone. Critics, however, point to the evolving scientific literature that suggests many transgender athletes experience significant physiological changes after hormone therapy and that testosterone levels are an imperfect proxy for athletic performance.

In a separate article linked from Fox News, the discussion extends to the U.S. Department of Justice’s potential involvement. A DOJ spokesperson clarified that the agency is not currently reviewing the IOC’s policy but remains open to future litigation if the policy were found to violate federal civil rights laws.

What’s Next for the IOC and the Olympics?

The IOC’s upcoming congress, scheduled to take place in Lausanne from September 23–25, 2025, will serve as a pivotal moment for policy refinement. According to a statement on the IOC website, member nations will have the opportunity to present new evidence and propose amendments to the existing gender guidelines. Lee’s letter, while not an official IOC request, has nonetheless sparked discussions within the IOC’s executive committee, prompting them to review the policy’s impact on fairness and the perception of the sport.

The IPC, meanwhile, is preparing its own congress in December 2025 to address the status of transgender athletes in Paralympic events. The IPC’s current guidelines differ from the IOC’s, as they allow a broader range of participation under certain medical criteria. As the two governing bodies work toward a consensus, the debate is poised to shape the future of both Olympic and Paralympic sports.

Conclusion

Senator Mike Lee’s call for an immediate ban on male athletes competing in women’s sports represents a stark moment in the ongoing conversation about gender, sport, and fairness. While the senator’s message underscores concerns about physical advantages and competitive integrity, it also confronts complex scientific, ethical, and legal questions that continue to evolve. As the IOC and IPC move forward with their respective congresses in the coming months, the sporting world will be watching closely to see whether new policies emerge that balance inclusion with the principle of fair play—a balance that will shape the next era of the Olympics and Paralympics.