• France's sports minister decries IOC's gender testing as a "step backwards."
• The new policy excludes transgender women from female Olympic events.
• Over 100 organizations criticize the IOC's decision as discriminatory.

France's Sports Minister, Marina Ferrari, expressed strong opposition to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) re-introduction of gender testing, labeling it a "step backwards." The IOC will implement this policy starting from the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, only allowing “biological females” to compete in women's events, which effectively bars transgender women and many athletes with Differences in Sexual Development (DSD) from participation. Ferrari emphasized the need to consider ethical, legal, and scientific issues, especially given French laws that restrict such genetic testing, according to The Local, Le Monde, and Al Jazeera.

The IOC's decision comes as part of a move to establish clearer eligibility guidelines, but critics, including over 100 human rights and scientific groups, have labeled it a "discriminatory response" lacking scientific support. They argue that the policy undermines the complexities of gender identity and fails to accommodate the biological diversity among participants, particularly intersex individuals. Ferrari noted that this approach is reductive and perpetuates stigma, mirroring concerns raised by many organizations advocating for athlete rights, according to The Local and Al Jazeera.

Political reactions have varied, with U.S. President Donald Trump supporting the IOC's new rules, claiming them to be a victory for women and girls in sports, citing his previous executive orders against transgender participation in women’s athletics. This divergence in perspectives illustrates the ongoing debate surrounding gender regulations in competitive sports and raises concerns about the future of inclusivity in the Olympic space, as articulated by Ferrari's cautions against discrimination in the new policy, according to Le Monde and Al Jazeera.