KUALA LUMPUR — With just three years until the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics, the debate over transgender athlete participation is intensifying.
International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president Andrew Parsons insists that a one-size-fits-all approach is not the solution, even as political and sporting leaders push for sweeping bans.
US President Donald Trump has pledged to bar transgender women from competing in female categories by denying them visas, while International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidential hopeful Sebastian Coe has signaled openness to stricter policies, including a possible blanket ban.
Parsons, however, argues that individual sports must determine their own policies.
“One thing that is important to us, of course, is to protect the female category—this is the number one priority,” Parsons told BBC Sport.
“But we also have to acknowledge that there is a growing population of transgender athletes, (and) that they would like to compete at the highest possible level.
“So how we can bring all of this together is a challenge, and I think science is the answer to that, but I don’t think a blanket solution is possible because I do believe (each) sport is different.
“At the moment, you have mixed sports, like equestrian, for example. So I don’t believe in blanket solutions for such a complicated thing, especially because sports are so different in terms of what they demand from the athletes.”
Under current rules, World Para Athletics allows transgender athletes to compete in categories aligned with their legal gender if their impairment qualifies them.
This contrasts with World Athletics, which has banned transgender women from female categories in international events.
The issue came to the forefront at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, where Italian sprinter Valentina Petrillo made history as the first openly transgender athlete to compete.
“When it comes to the IOC and IPC, we are different organisations with different governance models,” said Parsons.
With LA 2028 on the horizon, questions remain: How can the Paralympic movement balance fairness, inclusion, and scientific considerations in setting policies? Will political interference disrupt the Games? And ultimately, what will the IPC and international federations decide before the world gathers in Los Angeles?
The clock is ticking. — February 28, 2025