In a significant policy shift, CrossFit Games has implemented new rules requiring athletes to compete in divisions matching their birth sex, marking a reversal from its previous inclusive stance toward transgender athletes.
The organization’s latest rulebook, updated January 20, 2025, states that athletes must “register and compete in the gender division corresponding to their gender assigned at birth” throughout all competition stages, including the Open, Community Cup, Semifinals, In-Person Qualifying Events, and Finals.
This marks a dramatic change from CrossFit’s 2019 position when then-CEO Greg Glassman announced at an OUTWOD event that transgender athletes could participate in the division matching their identity. At that time, Glassman had declared, “CrossFit believes in the potential, capacity, and dignity of every athlete. We are proud of our LGBT community, including our transgender athletes, and we want you here with us.”
The new policy allows for rare exceptions only in cases of disorders of sex development (DSD), also known as intersex conditions, which will be evaluated individually. Otherwise, the rules specify that no exceptions will be granted, regardless of legal, medical, or personal documentation reflecting a different gender identity.
This development follows a complex history of transgender participation in CrossFit competitions. In 2014, transgender athlete Chloie Jonsson filed a discrimination lawsuit after being denied the right to compete as a woman. The case, which was settled out of court, highlighted CrossFit’s previous stance through their legal response, which emphasized genetic advantages.
The policy change puts CrossFit at odds with various other sporting bodies, including the International Olympic Committee, which has established guidelines allowing transgender athlete participation under specific conditions.
The announcement has sparked discussions within the CrossFit community, particularly given the organization’s previous efforts to build bridges with the LGBTQ+ community, including a $10,000 donation to OUTWOD from the CrossFit Foundation in 2019.
As this policy takes effect, it represents one of the most stringent approaches to gender division classification in major sporting competitions, with its universal application and limited exceptions policy.
