The IOC is making attempts to ban transwomen from Olympic competition. To some, this is a shock considering it is occurring under the first female IOC president Kristy Coventry. Transwomen have been allowed to compete in the Olympics since 2004. There were few objections and hysterical reactions during the 2000s. The anti-LGBTQ backlash was fueled by the religious conservatives who hated that this group were getting equal treatment under the law. A culture war is now infecting international sports competition. This is also negatively impacting cisgender women. Female athletes are now subject to sex testing once more. It could possibly get more strict if a ban goes into effect. The IOC claims these measures are for the protection of the female category and fairness. The assertion just disguises discrimination based on gender identity. Cisgender women with differences in sexual development are being harassed by IOC policy. The policies enacted also reveal a degree of anti-trans misogyny. Transwomen receive more vituperation and abuse compared to transmen. Kristy Coventry's employment history is subject to debate. Her only experience managing a sports organization was being minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts, and Culture in Zimbabwe. Prior to this Kristy was an a swimmer who competed in the Olympics. Kristy Coventry has no experience in government or sports management prior to the 2018 appointment by the Emmerson Mnangagwa administration. Her tenure as minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts, and Culture did not leave lasting improvement or change. A similar pattern could occur with her leadership of the IOC. The reason she was probably elected was to make it easier to push discriminatory policies. A female IOC president would have less difficulty getting anti-trans rules imposed. Kristy Coventry was born in a country that was a white minority ruled colonial regime. Observers and activists realize that the IOC is going backwards and policies are not supported by sports science. Cisgender women continue to hold the majority of sports records and few transwomen are competing.
