Conservative MPs on the Heritage Committee questioned Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden over the issue of transgender athletes in women’s sports on Oct. 8.
Tory MP Rachael Thomas told the committee there appeared to be a desire in Canada and in many other countries to “figure out how we include trans athletes in sport, and how we do that in a manner that is safe for all those that wish to participate.”
Thomas asked what the government’s official position was on transgender athletes and biological men participating in women’s sports.
“It’s a nuanced issue. It’s not cut and dry,” van Koeverden responded. “It’s not simple. And ultimately, we are dealing with human beings who deserve dignity, respect, and an opportunity to play.”
Van Koeverden said that the eligibility for gender categories in international sports is determined by organizations like the International Olympic Committee and Women’s National Basketball Association. He said that Sport Canada does not want to “undermine” how these organizations determine eligibility.
In the United States, a February 2025 executive order directed federal agencies to protect female sports categories and enforce related provisions of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex in certain education programs and activities including sports. In the United Kingdom, a Supreme Court ruling in April 2025 clarified that “sex” and “woman” in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological sex. Several British sports governing bodies subsequently revised their eligibility rules for female categories.
World Athletics introduced genetic testing in 2025 to determine eligibility for female-category events at its world championships. The International Olympic Committee has also adopted a one-time genetic testing requirement for athletes competing in female-category events starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
After Thomas repeatedly asked van Koeverden to state the government’s official position on transgender athletes, he said that “99.9 percent of people that compete in sport are not going to compete for Canada or on a professional team.”
Thomas replied, “My question is very, very clear. I’m not sure why you’re skirting it. You’ve said that the government has an official position, and I’m not sure why you’re refusing to provide that position today.”
When asked about the issue of biologically male athletes, van Koeverden said that the issue is “rarely” brought up by female athletes he speaks with, in contrast with women talking about incidents of concussions, a lack of opportunity, and the need for more sporting infrastructure.
Conservative MP Andrew Lawton asked van Koeverden about previous comments he made about the International Olympic Committee’s March 2026 decision to ban biological males from female sports.
The minister had said in April the policy was buying into the “notion that scary drag queens are winning women’s volleyball games,” which he called “a stupid conservative pseudo fantasy.”
Lawton said that biological men are beating women in sports, adding, “I can give you a number of examples of this happening, which you are well aware of. Why do you believe this is not a real problem, and why was it not in the 1,000-page report on the state of sport in Canada?”
Van Koeverden replied, “I don’t know if it’s terribly productive for two men to sit at this table debating rhetorically the definitions of various categories that federal international sporting organizations [use].”
Lawton also brought up a 2021 briefing to former Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge, which said that “the most current peer-reviewed science demonstrates significant male advantage in sport, amplified through and after puberty, and that testosterone suppression in transwomen does not mitigate the legacy effects of male puberty.”
“I would like to read the report before I provide my full endorsement of a paper,” van Koeverden said. Lawton sought unanimous consent for the committee to table the report, which he received.
The province of Alberta enacted legislation in September 2025 to regulate categories for female-only divisions and transgender athletes, ensuring that biological men cannot compete in women’s sports leagues.