Anti-woke crusader Lucy Zelic has hailed the International Olympic Committee’s looming decision to ban transgender women athletes from the Los Angeles Games – but also lashed out at how long it has taken to make a move she believes should have occurred long ago.
The IOC is strongly expected to make the decision, which would impose a blanket ban ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
While Olympic sources have confirmed that such a measure is very much the ‘direction of travel’, it is highly unlikely to come into force before the Winter Olympics in Italy next February.
One report suggested that a rule change could be announced in February, but insiders estimated it might take between six months and a year for it to be approved and cleared.
Zelic, who has spent years making high-profile calls for a ‘safe space’ for biological women in sport, was overjoyed at the news – but also disappointed it took so long when the evidence supporting the ban has long been clear.
Commentator and anti-woke women’s sport campaigner Lucy Zelic (pictured) is thrilled by reports the International Olympic Committee is going to ban trans women from competing at the Games
Pictured: IOC President Kirsty Coventry, who has been pushing to ‘protect the female category’ since being elected
Boxer Imane Khelif was part of a huge gender row at the Paris Olympics when she won gold in the welterweight division
‘Finally, the International Olympic Committee have come to their senses on this issue,’ Zelic told the Daily Mail.
‘The decision to stop mandatory sex testing by the IOC Executive Board in 1999 never should have occurred.
‘What we have witnessed since has been a callous disregard for the safety and wellbeing of female athletes and an egregious violation of their rights to compete on a level playing field.
‘Women have been robbed of medals, a chance to cement their success in the history books and be rewarded for all of their hard work and dedication.’
Zelic added that she suspects Donald Trump’s push to deny visas to trans athletes might have spurred on the IOC’s decision.
‘These aren’t groundbreaking or new discoveries. We don’t need a panel of experts, scientists or researchers to tell us what we already know and it’s that males should not be competing against women in sport,’ Zelic said.
‘It’s also utter nonsense to suggest that that male advantage can be extinguished via the suppression of testosterone.
‘Our very own Australian Sports Commission guidelines acknowledge this but it seems that common sense has been corrupted by the concept of inclusion, which is reckless and dangerous.’
Zelic believes the looming decision is a victory for common sense that will stop women being ‘robbed’ of medals
Laurel Hubbard, who tranistioned in 2012, broke new ground in 2021 by competing in the women’s weightlifting at the Tokyo Games
The 2GB radio star also called for justice over the gender row surrounding women’s boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu Ting at the Paris Olympics.
Lin, 29, won gold in the women’s featherweight division at the Games despite being disqualified from the 2023 World Championships for failing a gender eligibility test.
Khelif also won gold in Paris after allegedly failing a gender test in 2023.
‘So many people were quick to condemn those of us who has just cause to question the eligibility of Imane Khelif and Lin Yu Ting at last year’s Games, but where are they now?’ Zelic said.
‘The competitors at last year’s games deserve an apology, medals need to be reassigned and serious lessons need to be learned.
‘The IOC can’t risk going through another scandal and public relations disaster like this at the 2028 games in Los Angeles. Worse still, imagine if someone had been truly hurt as a result of their negligence?’
In July, Australian senator Claire Chandler called for the Australian Olympic Committee to ban trans athletes from the national team.
Her stance was slammed by Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown, who has backed the Australian Olympic Committee’s decision to leave policies on trans athletes up to individual sports.
‘We hope they continue to prioritise inclusion and only restrict participation where there is a clear risk to safety or fairness,’ Brown said.
‘Sporting organisations across Australia have worked hard to include trans women and to ensure everyone is treated with dignity and can participate safely and fairly.
Australian senator Claire Chandler was slammed when she called for the Australian Olympic Committee to ban trans athletes from the national team
‘As recently as 2023, after extensive consultation and research, the Australian Institute of Sport found there was no case for a blanket ban on trans athletes in any sport, even at the elite level.’
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) guidelines state that it is important for all Australians to have the chance to compete in sport.
‘All Australians should have the opportunity to be involved in sport and physical activity, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, ability, cultural background or ethnicity,’ the ASC writes.
‘It is important that sporting bodies, from local clubs through to national sporting organisations, reflect the diversity in the communities they are a part of, and that together, we ensure every person is treated with respect and dignity and protected from discrimination.’
