Sue Bird, a Basketball Hall of Famer and WNBA legend, dismissed the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) assertion that its policy change was to protect women’s sports.

Bird agreed with American Olympic runner Nikki Hiltz, who identifies as transgender nonbinary and wrote that the IOC was “not solving a problem that exists.” The former Seattle Storm star said the policy was just “fearmongering.”

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Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird pose for a photo during the 2025 WNBA All Star Skills Challenge at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on July 18, 2025. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)

“That kinda sums it up for me because what’s being presented as this huge issue that we have to protect women. It’s not,” Bird said speaking to Megan Rapinoe on their “A Touch More” podcast. “What it is is fearmongering, and you brought up the (Trump) administration, for them to get votes. That’s all this is. It’s all that it’s ever been in my opinion.

“I think the other part is a reminder. What we have always talked about and focused on is, if you open this door, if you crack this door open, it gets blown open and you’re not policing women’s bodies across the board. I feel very sad about this. So, to kind of circle back to how we started, just want to send so much love to the trans community.”

Earlier in the episode, Rapinoe ripped the IOC’s policy and denied that it was rooted in science.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry speaks to volunteers, ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (Daniele Mascolo/Pool Photo via AP)

RILEY GAINES: OLYMPICS FINALLY PICKS BIOLOGY OVER IDEOLOGY TO SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS

The IOC said “eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females, determined on the basis of a one‑time SRY gene screening.”

The organization added that the policy was “evidence-based” and “expert-informed.” The testing can be conducted via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample.

A presentation at a World Athletics panel in Tokyo in September revealed that 50 to 60 athletes with male biological advantages have been finalists in the female category at global and continental championships since 2000.

Retired United States soccer player Megan Rapinoe looks on before a SheBelieves Cup match against Colombia at Sports Illustrated Stadium on March 7, 2026 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

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The panel was led by the head of the World Athletics Health and Science Department, Dr. Stéphane Bermon, who said sex tests were necessary because of an “over-representation” of DSD (differences of sex development) athletes among finalists, per multiple reports.

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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Former U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe ripped the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for implementing a new policy to ensure fairness across women’s competitions.

The IOC said “eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females, determined on the basis of a one‑time SRY gene screening.”

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Groups of protesters stand in front of the Supreme Court of the United States as the Justices hear the landmark case to decide if transgender girls should be allowed to participate in girls’ and women’s sports on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
Credit: Andrew Thomas / CNP (Andrew Thomas/CNP for Fox News Digital)

The organization added that the policy was “evidence-based” and “expert-informed.” The testing can be conducted via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample.

A presentation at a World Athletics panel in Tokyo in September revealed that 50 to 60 athletes with male biological advantages have been finalists in the female category at global and continental championships since 2000.

The panel was led by the head of the World Athletics Health and Science Department, Dr. Stéphane Bermon, who said sex tests were necessary because of an “over-representation” of DSD (differences of sex development) athletes among finalists, per multiple reports.

However, Rapinoe rejected the policy in the latest issue of her “A Touch More” podcast.

“Unfortunately, we have to say that all in the same breath as a really horrible rule came out from the International Olympic Committee,” Rapinoe said as she praised the transgender community. “They announced a new policy that they’re calling, I can’t even believe that they’re calling it this because it has nothing to do with protecting women, I feel like two people, who played at the very highest level for every competition that you possibly could, don’t agree with this and never felt like this was an issue at all, ‘The Protection of the Female [Women’s] Category.’”

Rapinoe dismissed the notion that the policy was rooted in science and said that the IOC was subjecting women to “invasive testing.”

A protester for protecting women’s sports gathers outside the Supreme Court on January 13, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Groups from both sides of the debate gathered on Tuesday morning to protest while two cases that prohibit transgender girls from joining girls’ and women’s sports teams are heard inside the Supreme Court. (Heather Diehl/Getty Images)

OLYMPIANS REACT TO THE IOC POLICY CHANGE TO PROTECT WOMEN’S SPORTS

“We already know that biology, as much as we want it to be just nice and clean and tight and perfectly in one category and another, it’s not,” Rapinoe said. “We know that. So, now what we’re doing is subjecting everybody, all women and all people who are identifying as women to this really invasive testing that only to me says like, ‘Oh we’re just trying to whittle it down to a certain type of woman. Is that what we’re doing? That’s really the whole game here.

“They sort of lost the battle on gay marriage and lost the battle on all these things so it’s just like, ‘We’re gonna have this whole campaign for all these years to just hate trans people,’ which is such a small percentage of the population. It’s actually on a single hand when we’re talking about sports. And just like thread the absolute tightest needle thread that you possibly could.”

Rapinoe added that the IOC only implemented the rule to appease President Donald Trump’s administration.

“This committee is framing it as based in science, which it’s not,” she said. “This will ultimately just prevent people from competing within the women’s category that they feel like they have an unfair advantage. It’s just really hateful. There’s been so few athletes that are trans or competing as trans and it’s so blatant on its face. It’s a total acquiescence to the Trump administration and to really right-wing conservative politics that really is just bringing down so much hate against such a small percentage of people who are just trying to live their life. It’s just horrible and I’m just sickened by it, really.”

File – Megan Rapinoe #15 of Team United States lines up prior to the Women’s Football Group G match between United States and Australia during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Kashima Stadium on July 27, 2021 in Kashima, Japan. (Hector Vivas/FIFA)

Conversely, several Olympians supported the IOC’s decision.

Kaillie Humphries, a three-time Olympic gold medalist for the U.S. and Canada, was among them.

“Today is a great day for women’s sports and a big win in the Olympic world,” she told Fox News Digital last month. “By implementing the sex testing, it will allow for fair competition. It used to happen years ago, and by bringing it back it will protect the women’s category. I think it’s very fitting that LA28 will be the games to protect women’s sports as it’s something that our president has advocated for.”

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Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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Caster Semenya, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the women’s 800-meter race, blasted the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over a new policy to ensure fairness for females competing at the highest level of sports.

Semenya, who has disorders of sex development (DSD), has testosterone levels higher than a typical female range and has launched legal challenges in order to compete in the women’s category. Semenya said she expected more from IOC President Kirsty Coventry.

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Caster Semenya (RSA) runs during a heat of the women’s 5000m during the World Athletics Championships Oregon 22 at Hayward Field on July 20, 2022. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)

“Personally, for her as a leader, she’s an African, I’m sure she understands how, you know, we as Africans, we are coming from, as a global South, you know, you cannot control genetics,” Semenya said Thursday. “For me personally, for her being a woman coming from Africa, knowing how, you know, African women or women in the global South are affected by that.”

The IOC said it would employ genetic testing to verify the biological sex of competitors in women’s events. The IOC said that eligibility for events in the women’s category is “now limited to biological females, determined on the basis of a one-time SRY gene screening.”

“Evidence‑based and expert‑informed, the policy – applicable for the LA28 Olympic Games onwards – protects fairness, safety and integrity in the female category,” according to the organization.

“Obviously if you say the science, because we talk about science here, if the science is clear, show us who decided and don’t dress that as a lie because it’s a lie and we know because we’ve seen it so if we were to answer or confront Kirsty that’s how we gonna respond and we’ll respond strong as we are because it affects women,” Semenya said.

AMERICAN OLYMPIAN, WHO IDENTIFIES AS TRANSGENDER NONBINARY, SLAMS IOC’S NEW POLICY TO PROTECT WOMEN’S SPORTS

Caster Semenya (RSA) wins the women’s 800m in an African record 1:54.25 during the Meeting de Paris in an IAAF Diamond League meet at Stade Charlety on June 30, 2018.  (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)

Semenya won Olympic gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Games but is banned from competing in certain international meets like the Olympics and world championships since she refused to follow the rules and take medication to reduce her hormone levels.

“For me personally, I’ll say the voice is not heard because you taking it as a tick box, you ticking a box so you can go clarify or say yes we’ve consulted,” she said. “For me, it’s you ticking the box.”

The IOC said it came to the decision to implement the policy after consulting with a panel of experts, with the goal of providing equal opportunity for women in sport.

“The policy was developed on the basis that it is universally accepted that providing for a female category is necessary to allow both males and females equal access to elite sport,” the IOC said in an announcement.

“It was guided by the IOC’s modern goals relating to equality (equal opportunities for female athletes in finals, on podiums and in championships); enhancing Olympic value (featuring both women’s and men’s finals in every sport); and visibility and inspiration (celebrating female athletes on the Olympic podium to inspire and represent women and girls worldwide).”

Coventry suggested that the continued enabling of males in women’s sports is “not safe” in the announcement.

South Africa’s Caster Semenya competes in the women’s 3000m final during the Athletics South Africa (ASA) Athletics Grand Prix at the Greenpoint Athletics Stadium in Cape Town on March 23, 2022.  (RODGER BOSCH/AFP via Getty Images)

“As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition. The policy that we have announced is based on science and has been led by medical experts. At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat,” she said.

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“So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

It seems like Ilia Malinin, the “Quad God,” has done a nice job of moving on from his Olympic heartbreak.

Last month, the 21-year-old Team USA star was the overwhelming favorite to bring home the gold in the men’s free skate. But the unimaginable happened as he fell twice and dropped all the way to eighth place.

However, he has begun to avenge the loss and is now a three-time world champion.

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Ilia Malinin from the United States competes during the men free skating at the Figure Skating World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, Saturday, March 28, 2026.  (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Malinin shouted and punched the air with relief after finishing a skate that showed he had achieved his desire to “move on” from the Olympics after days of being tormented by his mistakes.

Malinin scored 218.11 in the free skate for a total of 329.40, far ahead of silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama of Japan on 306.67. Another Japanese skater, Shun Sato, was third on 288.54.

Malinin was blunt about his Olympic performance when speaking to NBC afterward, saying simply, “I blew it,” and said it was a clear mental hurdle from start to finish.

“I just had so many thoughts and memories flood right before I got into my starting pose, and almost, I think, it maybe overwhelmed me a little bit. I’ve been through a lot in my life, a lot of bad and good experiences,” Malinin told reporters. 

Gold medalist Ilia Malinin from the United States waves to spectators after the medal ceremony after the men’s free skating at the Figure Skating World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, Saturday, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

LINDSEY VONN KEEPING RETURN TO SKIING ON TABLE DESPITE INJURIES: ‘I DON’T LIKE TO CLOSE THE DOOR ON ANYTHING’

“So, I just feel like it’s the pressure of especially being that Olympic gold medal hopeful. It was just something I can’t control now. The pressure of the Olympics, it’s really something different, and I think not a lot of people understand that. They only understand that from the inside and going into this competition, especially today, I felt really confident, really good,” he added. “But it really just went by so fast I did not have time to process.” 

But with some pressure off, Malinin was able to show who he truly is on the ice.

Gold medalist, Ilia Malinin from the United States waves before the medal ceremony after the men’s free skating at the Figure Skating World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, Saturday, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Malinin becomes the first skater to win three consecutive men’s world titles since fellow American Nathan Chen, who achieved the feat in 2018, 2019 and 2021 after the 2020 event was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.  

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Rob Harris

Sports correspondent, Sky News

South African Caster Semenya encouraging challenge against the landmark decision by the IOC to reintroduce sex testing; women’s category of Olympic sports will be limited to biological females from 2028; double Olympic gold medallist Semenya calling on other athletes to join class action

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Caster Semenya is encouraging a challenge against the landmark decision to reintroduce sex testing alongside banning transgender women and athletes with differences in sex development (DSD) from women’s competitions

For Caster Semenya, the new Olympics rules are not about providing clarity and protecting women’s sport but caving into political pressure, and discriminatory.

Having fought athletics chiefs over her own gender eligibility, the double Olympic champion is shaping up for a new battle with the International Olympic Committee.

“If we have to say women must stop taking part in Olympics, so be it,” the South African said in an exclusive interview with Sky News.

“I will encourage athletes to come together as a class action … because this does not make sense. It does not save women’s sport.”

The South African is encouraging a challenge against the landmark decision to reintroduce sex testing alongside banning transgender women and athletes – like herself – with differences in sex development (DSD) from women’s competitions.

Semenya won 800m gold at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics

“I’m fighting for women’s dignity,” Semenya said. “Those who say, ‘I am not going to be tested to prove that I’m a woman’ … I will encourage them to do that to stop this nonsense.”

This goes beyond sport since Donald Trump seized on stopping “men beat and batter female athletes”.

IOC President Kirsty Coventry, a former Olympic champion swimmer, and many other women in sport now align with the US president.

The Zimbabwean determined it is not fair for biological males to compete in the female competitions because physiological advantages of having gone through male puberty, or the presence of XY chromosomes, can be the difference in determining medals.

“This regulation is totally shameful,” Semenya said. “It’s something that her as a president should have not allowed such to happen.”

But the IOC has said there is at least a 10 per cent advantage in most running and swimming events for men – rising beyond 100 per cent for sports requiring “explosive power” like boxing, which creates dangers beyond fairness of competitions.

‘I’m fighting for women’s dignity,’ Semenya told Sky News

‘There’s no scientific proof – it’s an ideology’

I put this to Semenya.

“Based on what?” she responded. “There’s no scientific proof about what has been said. It’s an ideology.”

The full scientific research behind the decision has not been published. Nor has the IOC said what has changed in recent years scientifically or medically.

But is it not clear in combat sports there are safety concerns when a biological woman takes on a fighter who was born a man, with higher testosterone levels and greater muscle mass?

“What do you expect in boxing?” Semenya responded. “We understand that it’s a dangerous sport. We all sign in, in all sporting codes, knowing that there are safety precautions.

“There are risks, but you cannot come and then try to measure someone’s power based on how they look because you think they’re intersex or you think that they’re transgender.”

Semenya has become the face of scrutiny of eligibility rules since her gender was questioned based on her appearance after winning gold at the World Athletics Championships as a 19-year-old in 2009.

Enforced verification tests showed that while she always identified as female and had female traits, Semenya also had the typical male XY chromosome pattern and high levels of naturally occurring testosterone.

After being cleared to race, Semenya was still able to win Olympic gold in 2012 and 2016.

But then she refused to artificially reduce her hormone levels as required by World Athletics and lost further legal challenges. So the 35-year-old now coaches.

Semenya has come under scrutiny since winning gold at the 2009 World Athletics Championships at the age of 2019

‘There is no respect for women’

Mandatory sex verification testing for all entrants into Olympic women’s events will ensure a competitor isn’t singled out for tests because they might have masculine characteristics.

The IOC’s stance has transformed since ruling out a return to the “bad old days” of sex testing during Paris 2024 when Thomas Bach was in charge.

But Semenya said: “There is no respect for women. The minute you start asking a woman to be tested to take part in sports, that’s not dignity.”

When the IOC said this policy would apply to all their events I asked Ms Coventry if that includes the Youth Olympics. It does, meaning girls as young as 15 will have to take sex tests.

She said: “We really went above and beyond, I think, talking to a lot of different athletes, around how the process should be followed and what does that look like, and the support networks that need to be in place.”

For Semenya this just adds to safeguarding issues: “Testing a girl, a child, it is harmful and it is shameful,” she said.

Will the rules stand up to a legal challenge ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics?

While Semenya says she is fighting for the dignity of women, the IOC insists this is about protecting the safety and integrity of women’s sport but could need to produce more evidence.

President Donald Trump on Thursday addressed the Iranian regime’s execution of 19-year-old wrestler Saleh Mohammadi. 

“About two weeks ago, they put out a notice that if you protest, we will shoot you. They kill them. Look what they did to the wrestler. They killed him for, for speaking up. They killed him. He was a star wrestler, a great wrestler, actually,” Trump said during an interview on Fox News’ “The Five.”

“Iran has great wrestlers, and he was a star, one of the best. And they killed him because he spoke up. He spoke against the regime, which is largely decimated.”

Mohammadi was reportedly killed in a public hanging earlier this month, according to Iranian American human rights activists and dissidents.

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Iran International reported that Iran’s regime hanged Mohammadi and two other Iranian men, Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi “after being accused of killing two police officers during nationwide protests earlier this year,” the judiciary-linked Mizan news agency reported.

Mohammadi previously told Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting that his dream was to be an Olympic champion. 

Mohammadi won a bronze medal in September 2024 for Iran’s national freestyle wrestling at the Saytiyev International Cup in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

The execution prompted comments of mourning and outrage from multiple Olympians, including U.S. gold medalists Brandon Slay, a wrestler; Tyler Clary, a swimmer; and Kaillie Humphries, a women’s bobsledder.

IRAN HOSTAGE SURVIVOR SAYS TRUMP ‘ABSOLUTELY’ RIGHT TO LAUNCH OPERATION EPIC FURY, FINALLY CONFRONT REGIME

The International Olympic Committee prompted criticism for its statement addressing the execution because it did not condemn Iran. 

“Sadly, today’s world is divided and full of conflicts and tragedies. The IOC cares deeply about the situation of athletes all around the globe and is concerned every time it learns of individual cases of mistreatment,” the IOC said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“However, it is very difficult to comment on situations of individuals during a conflict or unrest in a country without the IOC being able to verify the often contradicting information.

“At this moment in time, we are particularly concerned about the situation of Iranian athletes impacted by the events unfolding in their country, as we are with all athletes who face conflict and tragedies elsewhere in the world. Unfortunately, these situations are more regularly brought to our attention due to the increasingly divided world in which we live.”

The IOC noted it does not have the power to dictate the decisions of a sovereign nation. 

“The IOC, as a civil, non-governmental organization, has neither the remit nor the ability to change the laws or political system of a sovereign country. This is the legitimate role of governments and the respective intergovernmental organizations. 

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“The IOC is a sports organization whose remit and success is based on bringing the world together in peaceful competition. We have to be realistic about the IOC’s ability to directly influence global and national affairs,” the statement continued.

“At the same time, we will continue to work with our Olympic stakeholders to help where we can, often through quiet sports diplomacy. The IOC remains in touch with the Olympic community from Iran.”

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It was a day of Olympic history. 

After the International Olympic Committee updated its policies to prevent biological males from competing in women’s sports, multiple Olympians gave their reactions.

Several Olympians, including gold medalists, shared their thoughts on the new policy with Fox News Digital. 

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Kaillie Humphries, three-time Olympic gold medalist bobsled athlete for US and Canada

Kaillie Humphries, a U.S. Olympic bronze medalist bobsled athlete, presents the Order of Ikkos to President Donald Trump during a Women’s History Month event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., March 12, 2026. (Al Drago/Bloomberg)

“Today is a great day for women’s sports and a big win in the Olympic world. By implementing the sex testing, it will allow for fair competition. It used to happen years ago, and by bringing it back it will protect the women’s category. I think it’s very fitting that LA28 will be the games to protect women’s sports as it’s something that our president has advocated for,” Humphries told Fox News Digital. 

Donna de Varona, three-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer for the US

President Ronald Reagan with Donna De Varona as they address the Women’s Sports Foundation. (Getty Images)

“With the election of Kirsty Coventry, an Olympic champion, and her decision to appoint another woman to lead the medical commission, it was informative that the IOC decided to go outside to reach researchers to base this opinion on science and fairness. And it’s the right decision,” de Varona told Fox News Digital. 

“Really, science and research is how this decision was based. I mean, I basically think everyone should have an opportunity in sport, but, in the Olympic arena, it’s a zero-sum game.” 

MyKayla Skinner, US silver medal gymnast at Tokyo 2020

MyKayla Skinner of the United States poses with the silver medal after the women’s vault final at Ariake Gymnastics Centre during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Aug. 1, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.  (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

“The best news! About time!” Skinner told Fox News Digital.

Katie Uhlaender, US skeleton athlete, five-time Olympian

Katie Uhlaender of the U.S. competes during the women’s skeleton race during the 2025 IBSF World Championships at Mt. Van Hoevenberg March 7, 2025, in Lake Placid, N.Y.  (Al Bello/Getty Images)

“This is huge for women’s sport. For years, female athletes have asked for clarity, consistency and fairness in competition. Not politics. Not ambiguity. Just clear standards that protect the integrity of the category we train our entire lives to compete in. Sport only works when rules are applied consistently and athletes can trust them,” Uhlaender told Fox News Digital. 

“Progress doesn’t come from avoiding hard conversations. It comes from addressing them with courage. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this happen, who protected women’s sport.”

Tyler Clary, US gold medal swimmer at London 2012

U.S. swimmer Tyler Clary celebrates winning gold in the men’s 200-meter backstroke final at the London 2012 Olympic Games Aug. 2, 2012, in London.   (Christophe Simon/AFP)

“This is a long-overdue return to common sense, and the IOC deserves credit for taking a clear stand. At the elite level, fairness matters, and protecting the women’s category based on biological reality is essential to preserving it,” Clary told Fox News Digital. 

“As an Olympian, I didn’t dedicate my life to competing on a manipulated playing field —one tilted and disguised as inclusion. Women’s sport exists because biological differences matter — strength, power and muscle developed through male puberty aren’t erased, and pretending otherwise erases us. Fairness isn’t controversial. Let little girls dream of gold — not allow those dreams to be lost or tarnished.”

Maciej Czyżowicz, Polish Olympic gold medal pentathlete at Barcelona 1992

Polish pentathalon gold medalist Maciej Czyżowicz (Courtesy of Maciej Czyzowicz)

“Better late than never. This decision by the IOC is a big step in the right direction. After all, it has long been known that one cannot change one’s sex. And if someone was born a man, then even if they start wearing women’s clothing, they will still remain a man. Besides, there are significant differences between the two sexes in terms of strength and speed, which puts female athletes at a disadvantage right from the start,” Czyzowicz told Fox News Digital. 

“So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports, it would simply not be safe. I believe this decision protects women’s sports, specifically by preventing transgender athletes from competing against biological women.”

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CELEBRATES PROGRESS AFTER A YEAR OF TRUMP ADMIN’S FIGHT TO SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS

Inga Thompson, US women’s cyclist, three-time Olympian

“If men are allowed to compete in women’s sports, in time, women will be erased from ever having opportunities to even compete at the Olympic level. You will have two categories in the Olympics. DSD/trans and the men’s category. Sex testing worked very well and was non-intrusive. A simple buccal cheek swab once in your lifetime,” Thompson told Fox News Digital. 

Nancy Hogshead, three-time US Olympic gold medal swimmer

Olympic gold medalist Nancy Hogshead (Courtesy of XX-XY Athletics)

“Playing sport is a human right. Today’s IOC announcement affirms that principle of inclusion and diversity. All athletes are to compete in their category; their weight, age, ability category and, now, their sex category. On behalf of women in sport, thank you for your leadership, IOC,” Hogshead said in a statement. 

Martina Navratilova, women’s tennis legend and Olympian at Athens 2004

Former Czech tennis player Martina Navratilova receives the golden racket during the Italian tennis internationals at the Foro Italico in Rome, Italy, May 21, 2023. (Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)

“Welcome news today from the IOC. People who adopt different gender identities, such as transgender, gender non-conforming or others should be afforded the same human rights as other citizens and protected from discrimination, so long as no sex-based rights are compromised,” Navratilova said in a statement.

“It’s what the gay, lesbian and bisexual community fought for over decades. Today’s IOC decision recognizes that, in Olympic sports, sex matters, and women’s sex-based rights must take precedence over gender-based identities.”

Giddeon Massie, US men’s cyclist, two-time Olympian

“There really is little to be lauded over the IOC’s woefully slow decision. It should have always been a most simple and basic logical conclusion that is unequivocally founded in God’s design of male and female,” Massie told Fox News Digital. 

“Our female Olympic and Paralympic athletes work too hard to have their dreams of achievement undermined by a man’s self-deception of reality. Sadly, the battlegrounds remain extensive amongst the grassroots and recreational sporting arenas, and those must continue to be contested for the sake of young ladies everywhere, now and into the future.”

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Carrie Englert Zimmerman, US women’s gymnast at Montreal 1976

“Finally, the International Olympic Committee showed some balls and chose fairness over fear. As an Olympian, I didn’t dedicate my life to competing on a manipulated playing field — one tilted and disguised as inclusion,” Zimmerman told Fox News Digital.

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Lindsey Vonn was aiming for Olympic gold last month in Italy, but a crash led to five surgeries that saved her leg from being amputated.

In one of her first runs at the Milan Cortina Olympics, fresh off a ruptured ACL she suffered a week before the Games, Vonn fell, resulting in a compound fracture of her leg.

Vonn also needed a blood transfusion due to the amount of blood lost during the surgeries, including one that required “a lot of plates and screws” and took nearly six hours.

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Lindsey Vonn speeds down the course during alpine skiing women’s downhill training at the Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

But in an interview with Vanity Fair, Vonn left the door open to getting back onto the mountain.

“I don’t like to close the door on anything, because you just never know what’s going to happen,” Vonn said. “It’s hard to tell with this injury. It’s so f—ed up.”

Vonn initially retired in 2019 but announced nearly six years later that she was making a comeback. She made her way onto the Olympic team and found herself back in regular form.

Lindsey Vonn crashes during the women’s downhill at the Winter Olympics on Feb. 8, 2026, in Italy. (IOC via Getty Images)

FORMER OLYMPIC STAR’S SON DIES AFTER GETTING CAUGHT UP IN AVALANCHE

That’s why she’s not ready to officially call it quits.

“I really feel like that was a horrible last run to end my career on. I only made it 13 seconds. But they were a really good 13 seconds,” she added.

Vonn’s skis failed to pop off during her crash, likely making the injury worse than it needed to be. Vanity Fair noted that Vonn “spends nearly all of her time in rehab,” including two hours of physical therapy and another two hours in a hyperbaric chamber, all before she even gets an official workout in.

Lindsey Vonn is airlifted away after a crash during an alpine ski women’s downhill race, at the Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

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If Vonn decides to call it, she will still go down as one of the most decorated skiers of all time, winning an Olympic gold in 2010 and two World Championships while also owning 84 World Cup victories.

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Seven Olympians from multiple countries, including three gold medalists, have condemned the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for its response to the execution of Iranian wrestler Saleh Mohammadi. 

After Mohammadi was reportedly hanged in public last week, the IOC released a statement that said, “It is very difficult to comment on situations of individuals during a conflict or unrest in a country without the IOC being able to verify the often contradicting information…

“The IOC, as a civil, non-governmental organization, has neither the remit nor the ability to change the laws or political system of a sovereign country.”

Now, the seven Olympians are sharing their objections to the IOC not condemning Iran for the execution. 

The IOC told Fox News Digital it stood by its original statement.  

Nancy Hogshead, three-time US Olympic gold medal swimmer

Nancy Hogshead attends an event celebrating the 40th anniversary of Title IX on June 21, 2012, in Washington, D.C. (Larry Busacca/Getty Images for WICT)

“I’m flabbergasted that the IOC could not denounce the murder of a teenage wrestler in Iran. The governing organizations of the Olympics are non-political, but denouncing the murder of an athlete for political purposes is not political… it is just doing the right thing,” Hogshead told Fox News Digital. 

“Olympians deserve better. The IOC can and should stand against the execution of athletes by violent regimes for political purposes.”

Tyler Clary, US gold medal swimmer at London 2012

Tyler Clary celebrates winning gold in the men’s 200m backstroke final at the Olympic Games on Aug. 2, 2012, in London. (Christophe Simon/AFP via Getty Images)

“The IOC’s statement reads like corporate damage control, not moral leadership,” Clary told Fox News Digital. 

“Hiding behind neutrality and bureaucracy isn’t leadership, it’s avoidance. The IOC says it doesn’t have the authority to influence sovereign nations, but it has never hesitated to take strong positions when it suits its interests. To suddenly claim impartiality when an athlete is killed shows a lack of backbone and a failure to stand up for the very people who make the Olympic movement possible.”

Maciej Czyzowicz, Poland Olympic gold medal pentathlete at Barcelona 1992

Poland Pentathalon gold medalist Maciej Czyzowicz (Courtesy of Maciej Czyzowicz)

“The International Olympic Committee’s lack of action and resolve is outrageous. Iran should be banned from the Olympic Games for its behavior, unless the regime is overthrown and a new leadership comes to power,” Czyzowicz told Fox News Digital. 

“If the IOC is unable to stand up for the life of an innocent teenage athlete, it has completely lost all moral credibility. With this statement they showed that they don’t care if any of Olympic movement countries break human and civil rights.”

Keith Sanderson, US Olympic shooter, four-time Olympian

Keith Sanderson during the Olympic Games at The Royal Artillery Barracks on Aug. 3, 2012, in London. (Lars Baron/Getty Images)

“This is sort of par for the course with the IOC. They enrich themselves at the expense of athletes and cannot even stand up and say that any regime, including Iran, murdering a teenage athlete is categorically wrong,” Sanderson told Fox News Digital. 

“The IOC has been known to be corrupt for years, but this is beyond the pale. If the IOC wants to show any shred of morality or credibility, they should denounce this murder and impose sanctions on Iran until their leadership changes or they apologize for this brutal execution.”

Ruben Gonzalez, Argentina Olympic luge athlete, four-time Olympian

Ruben Gonzalez of Argentina finishes the final run of the men’s luge singles at the Winter Olympics on Feb. 14, 2010, in Whistler, Canada. (Clive Mason/Getty Images)

“The IOC’s refusal to speak out against Iran for killing the teenage wrestler is shameful. But that’s how they’ve always been. All they care is about themselves,” Gonzalez told Fox News Digital. “As far as the IOC’s concerned, the athletes are simply pawns that allow them to profit. Time and again, it has put its own interests ahead of the athletes it claims to represent. If the IOC has any integrity left, it should publicly condemn the act and take decisive action against Iran.”

Katie Uhlaender, US skeleton athlete, five-time Olympian

Katie Uhlaender poses for a photo during the 2018 U.S. Olympic Team media summit on Sept. 25, 2017. (Kevin Jairaj/USA Today Sports)

“The IOC’s claim that they are just a ‘civil organization’ is a convenient excuse for inaction. They used it to dodge accountability for the Russian state-sponsored doping crisis, and they are using it now regarding the safety of Iranian athletes. Whether it’s doping in China, competition manipulation in Canada, or the stolen moments of U.S. skaters in 2022, the pattern is the same: the IOC cannot or will not protect the people who make the Games possible,” Uhlaender told Fox News Digital. 

“If the IOC insists that athlete protection is a state responsibility, then the United States has an opportunity to lead by example as it heads into LA 2028. It’s time to stop waiting and start setting the standard for athlete safety and integrity ourselves.”

Eli Bremer, US modern pentathlete at Beijing 2008

Eli Bremer celebrates at the Olympic Games on Aug. 21, 2008, in Beijing, China. (Nick Laham/Getty Images)

“I’ve believed IOC has been morally bankrupt for years and thus not had particularly high expectations for them. That said, I assumed the murder of a teenage athlete by his own country would be something even the IOC could figure out and denounce,” Bremer told Fox News Digital. 

“The fact that they cannot come out and say that Iran’s murder of this teenager who had become a national icon is wrong simply confirms how completely out of touch this organization is. I believe sports organizations generally should stay out of politics. But they can and should stand on basic humanity and say that murdering athletes is wrong. The fact that the IOC cannot do this speaks volumes about them.”

Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston, Iranian-born Team USA Olympic women’s wrestling coach at Rio 2016

“As an Iranian-born world-class athlete, coach, and trailblazer for women in wrestling, I am profoundly disappointed by the International Olympic Committee’s recent statement regarding the execution of 19-year-old young wrestler, Saleh Mohammadi,” Johnston told Fox News Digital.

“By framing its role as a ‘non-governmental organization’ without the remit to influence national affairs, the IOC is stepping away from the very principles of the Olympic charter. The charter aims to promote a ‘peaceful society, concerned with the preservation of human dignity,’ yet when a young champion is barbarically and publicly hanged by a state-sanctioned execution, ‘quiet diplomacy’ feels painfully inadequate. 

“Political neutrality should not result in passivity when athletes face terrorist state-sanctioned brutality. Such a ‘safe’ response sends a troubling message to athletes in Iran and elsewhere; that the life and safety of the athlete is secondary to organizational protocol.

“We don’t need the IOC to change a country‘s laws, we need them to stand up and use their immense platform to support and help protect athletes.”

What happened to Saleh Mohammadi?

Mohammadi was killed in a public hanging Thursday, according to Iranian American human rights activists and dissidents. 

Iran International reported that Iran’s regime hanged Mohammadi and two additional Iranian men, Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi, “after being accused of killing two police officers during nationwide protests earlier this year,” the judiciary-linked Mizan news agency reported.

Mohammadi previously told Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting that his dream was to be an Olympic champion. 

Mohammadi won a bronze medal in September 2024 for Iran’s national freestyle wrestling at the Saytiyev International Cup in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

Fox News Digital’s Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report. 

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The Hockey Hall of Fame says the pucks used to score the gold medal-winning men’s and women’s goals at the Milan Cortina Olympics are part of its permanent collection after being donated by the International Ice Hockey Federation.

The Hall released a statement about its artifacts from the Games on Wednesday, a day after Jack Hughes, who scored the golden goal in overtime for the U.S. men, told ESPN he wanted the puck so he could give it to his father, Jim.

“These artifacts are preserved, exhibited and shared with fans worldwide through our museum and international outreach programs, ensuring that defining Olympic and World Championship moments remain protected and accessible to the global hockey community,” the Hall said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. “We hold tremendous respect for the men and women who create these unforgettable moments on the ice, and we remain committed to preserving their achievements in a manner that is responsible, secure and accessible to fans everywhere.”

The U.S. swept men’s, women’s and Paralympic sled hockey gold, beating Canada in each final to win all three for the first time in the same year. Megan Keller scored the women’s golden goal, also in OT, and that puck is similarly enshrined.

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“These donated items represent defining moments on the world’s biggest stage and carry powerful stories of national pride and hockey history at its highest level,” Hall of Fame President and CEO Jamie Dinsmore said in a statement Monday about the Olympic showcase. “The Olympics ’26 display will help ensure that these unforgettable Olympic moments are preserved for our guests from around the world to experience.”

A stick from American Brady Tkachuk and gloves from teammate Jack Eichel, along with jerseys from Canada captain Sidney Crosby and Sweden forward William Nylander, are among the more than 70 items that will be on display for a limited time.

“Since the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, the IIHF has provided the Hockey Hall of Fame with official pucks and other historic artifacts commemorating key moments from each Olympic hockey tournament, including Sidney Crosby’s iconic 2010 ‘Golden Goal,’ as well as Natalie Darwitz’s Gold Medal winning goal puck from the 2008 World Championships,” the Hall said. “Our mission is to collect, preserve, research, exhibit, and promote artifacts, images, and stories that are significant to hockey’s worldwide legacy. Established to honor and preserve the history of hockey, the Hockey Hall of Fame recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions to the game.”Hoc

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