Portugal Supports Planned IOC Genetic Testing for Female Athletes at 2028 Olympics

The Portugal Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports has formally endorsed the International Olympic Committee's decision to exclude transgender women from competing in female categories at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, aligning with a policy announced in late March 2026 that introduces mandatory genetic screening for all athletes seeking to compete in women's events.

Why This Matters

• Testing begins in 2028: A one-time genetic test detecting the SRY gene (linked to the Y chromosome) will determine eligibility for female Olympic categories.

• Portugal's position is clear: Minister Margarida Balseiro Lopes confirmed Portugal will not oppose the IOC ruling, a stance already communicated to national Olympic officials.

• Broader implications: The policy also affects some intersex athletes, even those born with female genital characteristics.

• Domestic debate intensifies: The announcement coincides with parliamentary discussions on rolling back Portugal's 2018 gender self-identification law.

The New Olympic Framework

The IOC's announcement in late March 2026 marks a reversal from its 2021 guidelines, which delegated eligibility criteria to individual sports federations. Starting with the Los Angeles Games, all athletes wishing to compete in women's events must undergo genetic screening. Those testing positive for the SRY gene—associated with male biological development—will be excluded from female categories but remain eligible for male or mixed-gender competitions.

Limited exceptions exist for rare medical conditions such as complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, where testosterone provides no performance advantage. The policy does not apply retroactively, meaning past Olympic results remain valid.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry stressed that "all athletes must be treated with dignity and respect" and emphasized that medical examinations will occur only once in a lifetime. The committee framed the policy as necessary to ensure "fairness, safety, and integrity" in women's sport, citing scientific evidence of performance advantages in disciplines requiring strength, power, or endurance.

The decision aligns with an executive order issued by United States President Donald Trump, whose administration has championed restrictions on transgender participation in women's sports. As host nation for 2028, the U.S. political climate appears to have influenced the IOC's timing and framing.

Portugal's Official Response

Minister Balseiro Lopes delivered the government's position during an April 14 hearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees. Asked by Liberal Initiative MP Rui Rocha about Portugal's stance, she confirmed the country's "non-opposition and alignment" with the IOC policy, adding that this decision had already been communicated to national Olympic authorities.

The Portuguese Olympic Committee (COP) pledged to "monitor implementation rigorously" while ensuring respect for confidentiality, data protection, and individual dignity. Secretary-General Diana Gomes emphasized that women's sport "is not an organizational detail—it is a historic achievement" that allowed women to compete, win, and inspire generations, citing the example of marathon legend Rosa Mota.

Gomes defended the existence of the female category as essential for "fairness in competition," acknowledging that biological differences have "measurable impact on competitive outcomes and safety" in certain sports. She maintained, however, that "sport must continue to evolve as a space for inclusion," arguing that everyone deserves a place in athletics even if competitive models require specific criteria.

International Reactions

Portugal's position reflects broader international divisions on the IOC decision. Some countries and sports organizations have expressed support for the new framework, while others have raised concerns. More than 100 human rights, LGBTQ+, and scientific organizations have condemned the IOC decision as discriminatory and unsupported by science. France's sports minister called the policy a step backward, noting that SRY gene testing is prohibited under French law. South African Olympic athlete Caster Semenya criticized the move as driven by political pressure rather than scientific concern.

In contrast, several countries including Australia and the United States have expressed support for the policy. Different European nations have taken varied approaches: Germany's football federation allows transgender players to choose based on gender identity with no reported integrity issues, while the United Kingdom has introduced policies at elite levels restricting transgender women from female competition while maintaining inclusive options at recreational levels.

Impact on Portuguese Athletes

The policy's scope extends beyond transgender women to include some intersex athletes, such as Algeria's Imane Khelif, who won boxing gold at Paris 2024 but was disqualified from the 2023 World Championships over eligibility criteria.

Miguel Vasques, endocrinology director at the Champalimaud Foundation, has criticized testosterone levels as a "poor marker" with "strong limitations" for eligibility decisions. Researcher Ana Lúcia Santos from the University of Coimbra notes a scarcity of knowledge production on the regulation of trans bodies in sport within Portugal, suggesting the country lags in developing evidence-based approaches.

Domestic Political Backdrop

The Olympic alignment arrives amid heated parliamentary debate over Law 38/2018, which established gender self-identification in Portugal. Three bills—from the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Chega, and the Christian Democratic Party (CDS-PP)—were approved for detailed discussion on March 20.

The PSD proposes repealing the 2018 law and reinstating the 2011 regime, which required medical validation for changing name and gender in civil registries. Chega seeks to alter procedures citing "protection of children and youth," while the CDS-PP wants to ban puberty blockers and hormone therapies for minors under 18 in the context of gender dysphoria treatment.

During her parliamentary appearance, Minister Balseiro Lopes confirmed that the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality (CIG) conducted a technical analysis of the bills—a standard procedure when legislation enters the Assembly. Socialist MP Isabel Moreira questioned whether the government had requested impact studies, to which Balseiro Lopes responded that such analyses are routine but typically reserved documents.

After criticism over lack of transparency, the minister committed to delivering the CIG analysis to the parliamentary committee by the end of the day. She defended the separation of legislative and administrative powers, noting that public services are not generally obliged to produce opinions for every parliamentary process, though "institutional cooperation" is standard practice.

What This Means for Residents

For those living in Portugal, the Olympic policy shift is primarily significant for its political messaging—the government's endorsement signals a willingness to prioritize biological sex criteria in competitive sport, potentially influencing national federations and domestic regulations in the coming years before the 2028 Olympics.

More pressing for residents is the parallel legislative push to roll back gender self-identification rights. If the PSD or allied proposals pass, transgender individuals in Portugal could face renewed medical gatekeeping to change legal documents—a reversal of eight years of progress. The CDS-PP proposal to restrict medical interventions for minors would directly affect trans youth and their families, limiting access to treatments currently available under clinical protocols.

The parliamentary debate also raises questions about data protection and medical privacy. The IOC insists its genetic testing will respect confidentiality, but the COP's pledge to monitor implementation with "rigor, responsibility, and proportionality" suggests ongoing scrutiny will be necessary to ensure athletes' rights are safeguarded.

For Portugal's LGBTQ+ community and allies, the dual developments—Olympic alignment and domestic legislative rollback—represent a shift in policy direction, one that prioritizes competitive fairness arguments over inclusion. Whether this reflects a temporary political moment or a durable change in national consensus remains to be seen as parliamentary deliberations continue.