IOC presidential candidate Samaranch wants gender rule by early 2026

BERLIN – Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr, who is running for president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), would push for a decision on transgender athletes’ participation in sports before the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Games, if elected to the post.

Any decision would also offer clarity for organisers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, with US President Donald Trump in February having ordered the exclusion of transgender girls and women from female sports. He said he would not allow transgender athletes to compete at the LA 2028 Games.

Transgender athletes are currently allowed to compete both in the Olympic Games and the Paralympics, if cleared to compete by their respective federations.

Samaranch, one of seven candidates for the most powerful job in world sports, told Reuters in an interview that should he win the March 20 IOC vote, he would act quickly to avoid having the Olympic Games tarnished by a gender dispute, as was the case in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“We should try our best to have it (decision) in place before the Milano-Cortina Games. I think it’s almost mandatory to try. The timeline is very short, but the timeline is there,” Samaranch said.

Samaranch, an IOC vice-president, said the Olympic body should avoid a repeat of the Paris Games gender dispute over the participation of two female boxers, who both won gold medals, that dominated the international headlines and highlighted the lack of a universal rule.

“We saw Paris, one of the most, if not the most successful Games in history, and they were tainted by that issue,” Samaranch said.

Back in 2021, it was the IOC that had ordered international federations to each come up with their own rules for transgender athletes’ participation. Samaranch said it was now up the IOC to take the lead.

“It was a good call (in 2021), but it has not been good enough. Paris demonstrated that the social alarm on this issue is still there, and there is a common understanding... for the IOC as the leader of the world of sports to be the leader also on this issue.”

Samaranch also said he was confident of Trump’s support for the LA 2028 Games, calling the US President a long-time supporter of the Olympics.

“The United States have demonstrated... day after day that they are very, very keen on the Olympic Games,” Samaranch said.

“I think that the objectives of both the organising committee, the federal administration, and the IOC and the Olympic family are very much aligned.

“The United States will never let go of such an opportunity to again demonstrate to the world what they are capable of doing.”

The Spaniard is running for the IOC presidency along with World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe, Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry, who is Zimbabwe’s sports minister, and international cycling chief David Lappartient.

Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan, International Gymnastics Federation head Morinari Watanabe and billionaire Johan Eliasch, who heads the International Ski Federation, complete the list of candidates. REUTERS