Key figures from the international sporting world said that they have reached agreement on a new, unified policy for transgender athlete eligibility that will apply across major competitions, including the Olympic Games and world championships, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Saturday.

The move marks a shift away from the current system, in which individual sports federations set their own rules, often leading to a patchwork of different standards. 

Under the anticipated framework, transgender competitors who have experienced full male puberty before any medical transition would face tighter restrictions in women’s categories, but the full details have yet to be finalized.

The effort has been championed by IOC President Kirsty Coventry, the first woman to lead the organization. She took the helm in June and has prioritized a more consistent global approach.

At a press briefing during the Milano-Cortina Winter Games in Italy, IOC spokesman Mark Adams emphasized the importance of the initiative, saying that “protecting the female category is one of the key reforms she wants to bring in.”