More than 80 human rights and sports advocacy organisations have urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to halt reported plans to introduce universal genetic sex testing for female athletes and to ban transgender and intersex competitors.

A joint statement released on Tuesday by the Sport & Rights Alliance, ILGA World, Humans of Sport, and other groups warned that the measures, reportedly recommended by the IOC’s Protection of the Female Category Working Group, would undermine gender equity in sport.

The IOC responded this Wednesday, emphasising that no decisions have been taken. Universal sex testing was discontinued after the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

–ChannelAfrica–