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Caster Semenya, the South African two-time Olympic 800m champion, has expressed strong disapproval of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to reinstate sex verification tests for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Semenya, who has been a symbol of the struggle for hyperandrogenic athletes, described the move as 'a disrespect for women'.The IOC's new policy, announced on Thursday, limits eligibility for female category events to biological females, determined through a one-time SRY gene screening. This move effectively bans transgender athletes and a large number of intersex athletes from women's sports.Semenya, who has male XY chromosomes, is a well-known athlete with a difference in sex development (DSD). She has been a vocal advocate for the rights of athletes like herself, who are often subjected to sex verification tests and scrutiny.The IOC's decision has been met with criticism from Semenya and others, who argue that such tests are ineffective and discriminatory. Semenya stated, 'For you as a woman, why will you be tested to prove that you fit? You know, it's like now we need to prove that we are worthy as women to take part in sports. That's a disrespect for women.'The new policy is set to be implemented starting with the 2028 Olympics, and will be carried out through a saliva sample, cheek swab, or blood sample. This move has sparked controversy, with many arguing that it undermines the rights and dignity of transgender and intersex athletes.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a new eligibility policy for female category events at the Olympics, excluding transgender women athletes from competing in women's sports. This decision aligns with US President Donald Trump's executive order on sports, which aims to keep biological males out of women's sports.The IOC's policy, set to take effect at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, requires a mandatory gene test once in an athlete's career to determine eligibility. The test screens for the SRY gene, typically found on the Y chromosome, which initiates male sex development.According to the IOC, biological males have a performance advantage of 10-12% in most running and swimming events, and at least 20% in most throwing and jumping events. This advantage can be greater than 100% in explosive power events, such as punching sports.The policy change has been met with criticism from human rights experts and activist groups, who argue that the mandatory gender screening is invasive and discriminatory. The IOC has stated that the policy aims to protect "fairness, safety, and integrity in the female category."Caster Semenya, a two-time Olympic champion runner from South Africa, has been a prominent figure in the debate over female eligibility. The IOC's policy document details its research on the physical advantages retained by biological males, which it believes are retained even after transitioning.The US Olympic body has updated its guidance to national sports bodies, citing an obligation to comply with the White House's executive order. President Trump signed the order in February 2023, pledging to deny visas to athletes attempting to compete at the LA Olympics if they do not comply with the new rules.

Los Angeles Rams star receiver Puka Nacua is facing a civil lawsuit filed by a woman named Madison Atiabi, who claims he made an antisemitic statement and bit her on the shoulder on New Year's Eve. According to the lawsuit, Nacua allegedly said 'fuck all Jews' during a dinner in Los Angeles, which Atiabi, who is Jewish, found deeply distressing.The lawsuit also alleges that Nacua bit Atiabi on the shoulder, leaving teeth marks, and also bit her friend's thumb 'with such force that her companion screamed in acute pain.' The suit cites gender violence and negligence in addition to the antisemitic remark and biting incident.Nacua's attorney, Levi McCathern, has strongly denied the allegations, stating that multiple sober witnesses confirm Nacua never made the claimed comments. McCathern described the bites as 'horseplay' and announced that Nacua intends to sue Atiabi for defamation. This development comes after Nacua apologized last December for performing a gesture that invoked antisemitic tropes during an internet livestream.The 24-year-old receiver had a stellar season with the Rams, leading the league with 129 catches, 1,715 yards, and 10 touchdowns, and then leading the NFL again in playoff catches. His future with the Rams includes eligibility for a contract extension this offseason that could make him one of the highest-paid receivers in NFL history.

Olympic gold medal-winning boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan has been cleared to return to competition at the Asian Boxing Championships following a review of her sex eligibility.World Boxing, the sport’s Olympic-level governing body, announced its decision before the Asian championships, which begin March 29 in Mongolia.Lin and Imane Khelif of Algeria won gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics amid international scrutiny and misconceptions over both boxers’ sex.While both met the eligibility rules followed at the time by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which ran the Paris tournament, the two fighters’ success led to a politically charged debate over those standards.World Boxing took over as the sport’s governing body last year, and it implemented a sex eligibility policy last August requiring all fighters to take a one-time genetic test designed to identify the presence of a Y chromosome.Lin has been absent from several international competitions since World Boxing introduced the test last summer.“We recognise that this has been a difficult period for the boxer and the CTBA and appreciate the way they have approached the appeal process and their acknowledgement of World Boxing’s requirement to ensure that its eligibility policy, which is designed to deliver safety and sporting integrity, has been correctly implemented and followed,” World Boxing secretary-general Tom Dielen said in a statement.Taiwan’s boxing association described the decision as a “tremendous relief” for Lin.“We are pleased that World Boxing’s independent medical experts thoroughly reviewed all evidence and confirmed that she has been female since birth,” it said in a statement.Lin “will make her highly anticipated return to the ring at the Asian Boxing Championships”, the statement said.