France launches Observatory on gender testing in sports after IOC reinstatement

France is establishing an Observatory to address the complex issues surrounding gender testing in sports, a move that follows the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) March decision to reinstate these tests. The French Sports Ministry views the IOC's reinstatement of genetic testing for female athletes as a step backward, particularly as France's bioethics laws do not permit genetic testing without medical necessity.

Minister of Sports Marina Ferrari stated that France "will continue to tirelessly defend the fundamental principles that have always guided its actions: sporting fairness, the protection of the physical and psychological integrity of athletes, particularly women, and the fight against all forms of discrimination." The government's stance is that international sports bodies' evolving policies raise significant questions that require responsible answers.

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France will continue to tirelessly defend the fundamental principles that have always guided its actions: sporting fairness, the protection of the physical and psychological integrity of athletes, particularly women, and the fight against all forms of discrimination.

The new entity, the Observatory for Variations in Development, Intersexuality, and Identity in Sport (OVIDIS), is a direct response to a late 2024 report on transgender identity and high-level sports. This report was prepared by an expert committee. OVIDIS aims to provide the means to inform public decisions and better support athletes preparing for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the 2030 Games in the French Alps.

The Observatory's first orientation report is expected in the second half of 2026. It will present prospective scenarios to guide the choices of the sports community and public authorities. This initiative underscores France's commitment to navigating these sensitive issues with a focus on fairness, athlete welfare, and non-discrimination.

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With this observatory, we are giving ourselves the means to inform public decisions and to best support our athletes in view of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and then those of the French Alps in 2030.