February 9, 2026
Mr. Cloud (for himself, Mr. Webster of Florida, Mr. Rose, Mrs. Luna, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Higgins of Louisiana, Ms. Tenney, Ms. Boebert, Mr. Owens, Mr. Moore of Utah, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Ms. Mace, Mr. Fine, and Mr. Hamadeh of Arizona) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
To amend title 36, United States Code, to provide that a national governing body shall have as an eligibility criteria related to participation in the Olympic Games, a requirement that an amateur athlete may only participate in events corresponding to the sex of such athlete, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Securing Actual Female Events in Olympic Sports Act
or the SAFE Olympic Sports Act
.
Sec. 2. Requirement to participate in events corresponding to sex of athlete in the Olympic Games
(a) In general
Section 220522 of title 36, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (15), by inserting except as provided in paragraph (20),
before does not have eligibility criteria
;
(2)
in paragraph (18), by striking and
at the end;
(3)
in paragraph (19), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
; and
(4)
by adding at the end the following:
(20)
has as an eligibility criteria related to participation in the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games, the Pan-American Games, the Parapan American Games, or any other national, regional, State, or local event or competition sanctioned by such organization (including any national, regional, State, any local division thereof), a requirement that an amateur athlete may only participate in events and competitions corresponding to the sex of such athlete.
(b) Definitions
Section 220501(b) of title 36, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(12)
sexmeans a person’s immutable biological classification as either male or female, as biologically determined.(13)
malemeans a person belonging, at conception, to the biological sex characterized by a reproductive system with the biological function of producing sperm.(14)
femalemeans a person belonging, at conception, to the biological sex characterized by the reproductive system with the biological function of producing eggs.
Sec. 3. Granting sanctions for amateur athletic competitions
220525 of title 36, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
(c) Continued sanctioning of certain competitions
(1) In general
Subject to section 220522(20), for the sport that it governs, a national governing body (including any national, regional, State, any local division thereof) shall continue sanctioning an amateur athletic competition that—
(A)
meets the requirements to be sanctioned under this section;
(B)
is solely for competition among males or solely for competition among females; and
(C)
is a competition (or a successor to a competition) that the national governing body sanctioned during the 10-year period prior to the date of enactment of this subsection.
(2) Clarification for events previous sanctioned
A national governing body may not rescind the sanctioning or alter the competition categories related to the sex of the athletes (except to comply with section 220522(20)) of any event described in paragraph (1) that the national governing body sanctioned prior to the date of enactment of this subsection and that has not taken place as of such date of enactment.
(3) Rule of construction
This subsection may not be construed to prohibit a national governing body from sanctioning an amateur athletic competition that is for competition among males and females.