IOC needs clear stance on gender, says presidential hopeful Coe

Sebastian Coe, a former track and field athlete, believes the International Olympic Committee (IOC) should adopt a clearer stance on gender in sports.

Coe, who is running for the presidency of the IOC, said in an interview with the BBC that the IOC needs to "find a way of protecting women's sport, but also ensuring that any trans person who has transitioned and wants to compete is able to do so fairly."

The issue of transgender athletes competing in sports has become increasingly contentious in recent years, with some arguing that transgender athletes have an unfair advantage over cisgender athletes, while others argue that transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in the category that they identify with.

The IOC currently has a policy that allows transgender athletes to compete in the Olympics if they have undergone gender reassignment surgery and have been on hormone therapy for at least one year. However, the policy has been criticized by some for being too vague and for not providing clear guidance to sports federations on how to determine whether a transgender athlete is eligible to compete.

Coe said that he believes the IOC needs to "strike a balance" between protecting women's sport and ensuring that transgender athletes are able to compete fairly.

"I think it's important that we have a clear and consistent policy that is based on the best available evidence," Coe said.

Coe's comments come as the IOC is set to discuss the issue of transgender athletes at a meeting in March. The IOC is expected to adopt a new policy on transgender athletes at the meeting.