Australian sports presenter Lucy Zelić has thrown her support behind the International Olympic Committee’s decision to restrict women’s events to biological females from the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Zelić, a long-time football commentator and media personality, welcomed the move as a necessary step to protect the integrity of women’s competition after years of heated debate.
‘I applaud the International Olympic Committee’s decision to preserve and protect the female category at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and future Games,’ she told Daily Mail.
‘This is a much-welcomed but long-overdue determination and will go towards undoing the historic damage and egregious results that the prioritisation of ‘inclusion’ has produced.’
Under the new IOC policy, athletes competing in women’s events will be required to undergo a one-off genetic screening to detect the presence of the SRY gene, which is associated with male biological development.
The testing can be conducted via cheek swab, saliva or blood sample.
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Zelić downplayed concerns about the process, describing it as proportionate given the stakes involved in elite sport.
‘The screening to detect biological sex can be performed via an non-intrusive cheek-swab, saliva test or blood sample and athletes will only have to be tested once in their lifetime,’ she said.
‘In the grand scheme of things, this is a small process, that will go towards protecting the bigger picture for women and girls in sport.’
The IOC has said the policy is grounded in science and aims to ensure fairness and safety in competition, while also acknowledging the sensitivity of the issue and promising support for affected athletes.
Zelić pointed to those assurances as an important part of the framework.
‘While there have been confronting instances throughout history where some athletes have discovered through the testing process that they were born with Differences of Sex Development,’ she said.
‘I commend the IOC’s recent announcement that they will focus of providing support mechanisms to assist these participants and their mental health concerns.
‘With all this in mind, it’s important to note that this has never been about excluding trans-identified males and those with DSD from sport – it has only ever been about the preservation of the female category.’
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The policy has been welcomed by some athletes and sporting bodies, who argue it restores clarity after years of inconsistent rules across different sports.
However, it has also drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups and academics, who warn it could lead to discrimination, privacy concerns and unintended consequences for women athletes.
“The greatest risk is … that women and girls all over the world – and especially from the Global South – might be subjected to further hate and discrimination and excluded from sport,’ Amnesty Internationals’s Steve Cockburn said previously.
Charity organisation Dsdfamilies spokeswoman Ellie Magritte has added previously: ‘Fairness in competition is important, but eligibility rules must also be proportionate and aligned with contemporary standards of DSD care, rather than creating foreseeable and avoidable harm to this vulnerable minority group.’
‘We are concerned that proposed processes do not always demonstrate the level of understanding, dignity and respect that this issue requires.’
Zelić acknowledged the decision would impact a small number of competitors, but argued the broader implications for women’s sport should take precedence.
‘I understand that this ruling will affect a minority but we cannot continue to place the needs of a minority over the majority of women when so much is at stake,’ she said.
Opponents of the IOC’s stance have described the move as regressive, with some advocacy groups calling it a ‘backwards step’ that undermines inclusion and diversity in sport. Zelić rejected that characterisation in strong terms.
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‘I have seen some commentary from human rights advocates suggesting that this is a ‘sad day’ or a ‘backwards step’ which is such disappointing analysis,’ she said.
‘Elite individual and team sports has never, nor should it have ever, been about inclusion.
‘It’s about the best athletes in the world being given an opportunity to compete fairly, safely, and be rewarded for their life-long dedication to their chosen sport.
‘For many of these female athletes, their sacrifices and struggles to achieve said greatness has been undermined and corrupted by ideologues who have shown little regard for the human rights of these women.’
The debate over gender eligibility has intensified in recent years, with different international federations adopting varying rules on testosterone levels and participation. The IOC’s decision marks a shift toward a unified, global standard.
For Zelić, the issue goes beyond elite competition and speaks to the broader status of women in sport.
‘We are not ‘biological’ women, we are not ‘cis-gender’ women – we are just women,’ she said.
‘Talented, strong, ambitious and deserving of protection, safety and a level playing field which should exist from the elite level, right down to the grassroots.
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‘My hope is that this seismic shift in common sense policy will have a protracted effect and will adopted by other stubborn sporting federations and governing bodies like Football Australia and Netball Australia.’
Supporters of stricter eligibility rules argue that biological differences can confer performance advantages that cannot be fully mitigated, while critics say the science remains contested and policies risk oversimplifying complex biological realities.
Zelić said female athletes have already faced significant barriers and should not be further disadvantaged.
‘Female athletes have had to overcome significant challenges in their quest to be taken seriously, receive funding, and achieve recognition as genuine competitors,’ she said.
‘The inclusion of trans-identified males and athletes with Differences of Sex Development has long compromised the integrity of women’s sport.’
She also dismissed the idea that hormone treatment alone can address concerns around competitive fairness.
‘It’s also utter nonsense to suggest that male advantage can be extinguished via the suppression of testosterone,’ she said.
‘Our very own Australian Sports Commission guidelines acknowledge this but it seems that common sense has been corrupted by the concept of inclusion, which has been reckless and dangerous.’
The IOC has maintained that its decision is based on extensive consultation with medical experts and athletes, and that the policy will not apply retrospectively or to grassroots sport.
As preparations continue for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, the ruling is expected to face ongoing scrutiny, with potential legal challenges and further debate likely as sporting bodies around the world move to align with the new framework.
