Transgender athletes have been allowed to compete in the Olympics since 2004.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) introduced guidelines that year which permitted transgender athletes to participate if they had undergone sex reassignment surgery and had been legally recognized in their new gender for at least two years. Additionally, they needed to have at least two years of hormone therapy.
These guidelines were updated in 2015, making it easier for transgender athletes to compete. The updated guidelines removed the requirement for surgery and reduced the hormone therapy requirement. For transgender women (male-to-female athletes), the guidelines stipulated that their testosterone levels must be below a certain threshold for at least 12 months before their first competition. There were no similar hormone restrictions for transgender men (female-to-male athletes). The IOC continues to evaluate and update its policies to balance inclusivity with fairness in competition.
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