Elise Lundholm, a Swedish skier, is set to make history as the first openly transgender athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics.
Last month, the Swedish ski team confirmed that Lundholm, who is biologically female but identifies as male, will participate in the women’s freestyle ski division under existing International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines.
Notably, Lundholm is also the only openly transgender athlete slated to compete at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.
Her participation aligns with the IOC’s 2021 Framework on Equity, Inclusion, and Non-Discrimination based on Gender Identity and Gender Diversity.
This framework outlines a 10-principle approach as recommendations for each sport regarding eligibility requirements.
The document emphasizes the importance of creating a sports environment where everyone, regardless of their gender identity or sexual diversity, can compete safely and without harassment. It aims to respect individual needs and identities while ensuring fair competition among elite-level athletes.
Currently, transgender athletes are permitted to compete in the Olympics, provided they receive consent from their respective sports organizations.
In November, there were discussions about potentially revising the IOC’s transgender eligibility criteria to prevent biological male athletes from participating in women’s sports. This consideration followed insights from Dr. Jane Thornton, the IOC’s Director of Medical Sciences, who highlighted that men still retain physical advantages even after undergoing testosterone treatment.
Despite the discussions, as of Thursday, no official new policy had been announced.
At the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, the gender guidelines have already faced scrutiny. Algeria’s Imane Kherif and Taiwan’s Lin Yuting won gold medals in women’s boxing, despite earlier being embroiled in controversy over gender testing. Kherif maintains her identity as a woman, while Lin has remained silent on the issue since the Olympics concluded.
Although the IOC hasn’t released a new formal policy yet, it’s worth noting that the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) updated its policy in July to reflect the executive order from President Donald Trump that restricts biological males from competing in women’s sports.
The United States is set to host the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
