The directive would also apply to other women’s sports leagues such as the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), which allow trans athletes to compete, or future women’s World Cup competitions hosted in the US.
The US state department has ordered officials worldwide to deny visas to transgender athletes attempting to come to the US for sports competitions and to issue permanent visa bans against those who are deemed to misrepresent their birth sex on visa applications.
While signing the order, the president directed the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, to deny visas to “men attempting to fraudulently enter the United States while identifying themselves as women athletes” during the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles – which will take place under Trump’s watch.
The 24 February state department cable obtained by the Guardian instructs visa officers to apply Immigration and Nationality Act section 212(a)(6)(C)(i) – the “permanent fraud bar” – against trans applicants.
It also mentions a forthcoming separate guidance from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs that will outline additional actions to “preclude biologically male athletes from participating in women’s sporting events, including sports exchanges in the United States”.
