Lord Coe Urges IOC to Strengthen Rules for “Protection of Female Sport”

World Athletics president Lord Coe has stated that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) must enhance its regulations concerning transgender and DSD (differences in sex development) athletes to “protect female sport”. Coe, a 68-year-old two-time Olympic 1500m champion from Britain, is among seven confirmed individuals vying to succeed Thomas Bach as IOC president next March. His remarks follow the victory of Algeria’s Imane Khelif in women’s welterweight boxing gold at the Paris Games this summer, one year after she was reportedly disqualified from the World Championships due to failing gender eligibility tests. “I think the International Olympic Committee needs a very, very clear policy in this space,” Coe communicated to BBC sports editor Dan Roan. He further emphasized, “And the protection of the female category, for me, is absolutely non-negotiable. If you are not prepared to do that, and that is where the international federations expect a lead to be taken, then you really will lose female sport and I’m not prepared to see that happen. I’m not sure that policy is clear enough at the moment.” The International Boxing Association (IBA), which is Russian-led, carried out the gender eligibility tests. The IOC subsequently revoked the IBA’s status as a world governing body due to concerns regarding integrity and governance. The IBA had declared that Khelif “failed to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in women’s competition.” However, the IOC questioned the validity and trustworthiness of the IBA’s tests, stating they could not be relied upon. Both Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, who also faced a ban from the IBA, received clearance from the IOC to compete at the Olympics. Both athletes have maintained that they are women, and there is no indication that they are transgender. Coe expressed that the circumstances in Paris had caused him to feel “uncomfortable”. During an extensive interview, Coe also discussed his preparation, stating he has been “in training for life” for the IOC presidency, the fundamental challenges confronting the Olympic movement, the topic of prize money in sports, and the importance of establishing a relationship with US President-elect Donald Trump, given that the upcoming Games are scheduled for Los Angeles in 2028. Coe previously managed the London 2012 Games before assuming leadership of World Athletics, and he has also achieved success in his commercial and political endeavors. Under Coe’s leadership, World Athletics has prohibited transgender women from participating in the female category at international competitions and has tightened regulations concerning the involvement of DSD competitors. In his bid to replace Bach and potentially become the first Briton to lead the IOC, Coe will also be able to highlight his experience, accomplishments, and his initiative in establishing the Athletics Integrity Unit, an organization renowned for its effectiveness in identifying dopers. “It’s a movement I spent my whole life in,” he added. “I feel as though actually I’ve probably been in training for life for this so yes, it’d be a huge honour. I don’t know if it’s the toughest race I’ve ever run, but it’s the one I’m best prepared for.” The election for the new IOC president is set for March 2025, with the new president taking office in June. “I think there are some changes that need to be made and fundamentally around just enabling the membership, the athletes, the National Olympic Committees, the international federations, partners, broadcasters, to have greater skin in the game and to help structure the future,” he stated. He continued, “This isn’t the efforts of just one person. I think it needs a collaborative, team-building transition.” “It would be a mistake to conclude that everything is rosy, the red carpet is out in front of us, but we do have to travel down it. I’m very keen to provide structures, governance structures, particularly that allow talented members to be able to shape the direction of the movement, and their voices to be not just heard but acted upon. There are some big fundamental challenges that [the Olympics] confronts. Geopolitically, commercially, the relevance of the Games… you don’t want to be so disruptive, but I do think it needs to change.” World Athletics, under Coe’s direction, controversially implemented prize money for gold medallists at Paris 2024. When asked if he would advocate for other sports to adopt a similar approach if he becomes IOC president, he responded: “Yes, but I also have to recognise that some sports are not going to be best placed to create those budgets. That’s why it is important that there is a readjustment in the way sport is being funded, the way National Olympic Committees are being funded.” Over the next four years, the incoming IOC president will likely need to demonstrate diplomatic skill in managing tensions between the US and China regarding a doping incident involving 23 Chinese swimmers. Additionally, their agenda will probably include cultivating strong relationships with the Trump administration in anticipation of Los Angeles 2028, negotiating profitable new television agreements, and securing replacements for major sponsors such as Toyota, Panasonic, and Bridgestone. “I know the realities of politics and I’ve almost felt that I’ve been involved in geopolitical politics for probably the last 15 or 20 years,” Coe remarked. He added, “I cannot imagine that any president of the United States would not want that [the 2028 Games] to be a hugely successful showcase for both his own country and, more importantly, global integration and having everybody there.” “I’ve competed in Olympic Games, and Olympic Games impacted by a boycott. I’ve chaired a National Olympic Committee. I’ve helped deliver a Games in London, where, you know, not every country was universally excited about – at that stage – our foreign policy. This is the world that I’ve lived in, and in World Athletics I’ve had to confront the integrity around Russian sport and DSD and transgender, this is the world that I’ve lived in.” The six other contenders for the IOC Presidency are Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr of Spain, David Lappartient of France, Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, Morinari Watanabe of Japan, Johan Eliasch of Sweden, and Prince Feisal al Hussein of Jordan.