The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the formation of a working group on the “Protection of the Female Category” in sports, with the identities of its expert members kept confidential to safeguard their work’s integrity. This initiative, promised by IOC’s first female president, Kirsty Coventry, during her March 2025 election, responds to the controversy surrounding women’s boxing at the Paris 2024 Summer Games, which fueled global debates on gender eligibility.
The IOC’s decision to withhold the panelists’ names underscores the sensitivity of the issue, particularly as boxing and track-and-field governing bodies now mandate sex testing for female athletes.
The panel is one of four expert groups under the IOC’s “Fit for the Future” project, with others reviewing Olympic sports programs, commercial strategies, and the Youth Olympics. Unlike its counterparts, the female protection panel’s secrecy sets it apart, with no public timeline for its work, though the IOC stated it will begin “as soon as possible.”
The sports program panel, including Olympic organizers Sebastian Coe (London 2012) and Tony Estanguet (Paris 2024), will explore adjustments to the global sports calendar, potentially shifting the 2036 Summer Games from the traditional July-August slot due to climate concerns. It may also consider crossover between summer and winter sports and evaluate bids from candidates like India and Qatar for 2036.
The commercial panel, led by IOC vice president Juan Antonio Samaranch, aims to enhance partnerships and revenue streams, including from the Olympic Channel and in-house broadcasting in Madrid. Meanwhile, the Youth Olympics panel will assess the event’s relevance and guide the 2030 host selection process. Coventry’s leadership signals a proactive IOC stance on gender and fairness, aiming to shape inclusive yet equitable policies for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and beyond.
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