Mobile Courant

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama has joined forces with U.S. Senator Jim Risch of Idaho in a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The senators are urging the IOC to align its policies with an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump, aimed at safeguarding opportunities for female athletes in the Olympics.

Senator Tuberville has also reintroduced the Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, which seeks to prohibit men from participating in events intended for female athletes. However, this act was recently blocked by Senate Democrats.

"In the United States, we honor our female Olympians. These athletes, and so many others, have inspired generations of young women around the world to compete and excel," stated members of Congress in their letter. They emphasized that "the IOC must base eligibility for women’s athletic competitions on biological sex" to maintain fairness and respect for female athletes.

The letter was signed by several other Republican senators including Jim Banks (Indiana), Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee), Steve Daines (Montana), Lindsey Graham (South Carolina), Josh Hawley (Missouri), Jim Justice (West Virginia), James Lankford (Oklahoma), and Tim Sheehy (Montana). Congressman Burgess Owens is leading a similar effort in the House of Representatives.

The full text of the letter addresses IOC President Thomas Bach directly: "As members of Congress, we stand united with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump in calling on the IOC to amend its standards and safeguard the opportunities of female athletes on the Olympic stage."

The lawmakers call upon future IOC leadership to ensure only biological women participate in women's sports categories during events like the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics set to be held in Los Angeles.

Senator Tuberville represents Alabama in various Senate committees including Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.