According to reports, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has announced a new policy that blocks transgender women from competing in women’s categories at the Olympic and Paralympic level.
This includes skateboarding, which joined the Olympics in 2021 and is scheduled to return in Los Angeles in 2028.
This change follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in February. The order, titled "Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports," applies across all Olympic and Paralympic events.
That includes skateboarding, a sport that has grown quickly and gained attention for its more inclusive culture.
The executive order directs federal agencies and national sports organizations to maintain single-sex categories in both competitions and locker rooms.
Events like women’s park and street skateboarding are now expected to follow these rules. The order also calls on state attorneys general to come up with ways to help enforce these changes at all levels.
In a memo sent to the Team USA community, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee President Gene Sykes and CEO Sarah Hirshland stated that the organization has to follow federal guidelines because of its legal structure.
The committee is chartered by Congress, which means it must align with national policies.
The updated athlete safety policy does not directly use the term transgender. It refers to the need to ensure fair and safe environments for women who compete.
The statement appears on the USOPC website and also refers to the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, a law passed in 1998 that outlines how eligibility issues should be handled in Olympic-level competition.
The revised policy does not explain how the new rules will be enforced or whether a similar restriction will apply to men's divisions.
USA Fencing, one of the governing bodies affected by the decision, has already updated its own eligibility rules. Starting August first, transgender women, transgender men, nonbinary athletes, and intersex athletes will be directed to compete in men's categories only.
This shift has led to heated conversations among athletes, supporters, and advocacy groups. Some believe the policy protects competitive fairness in events like women's skateboarding, where physical differences are often part of the debate.
Others see it as exclusionary and damaging to athletes who have long been part of their communities and have trained for years under previous guidelines.
Skateboarding has always attracted a wide range of personalities and styles. It is also known for having a culture that embraces diversity more openly than some other Olympic events.
The rule change will likely hit hard among skaters who found community and recognition in women’s divisions.