Pierre Poilievre backs J.K. Rowling’s support for new Olympic gender policy

By Canadian Press on March 27, 2026.

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is supporting a ruling this week by the International Olympic Committee that bans transgender women from women’s sports at the Games.

The policy change comes ahead of the next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028 and aligns with an executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump.

While it’s not clear if any transgender women are currently competing at an Olympic level, the new policy will require athletes to undergo mandatory genetic testing to establish their gender.

Poilievre shared a post on social media from author J.K. Rowling, who called the decision a “welcome return to fair sport for women and girls.”

Rowling included a photo of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif — who won a gold medal in Paris in 2024 amid intense controversy over misconceptions about her sex — and referred to her as a man.

Poilievre reposted Rowling’s message on X and added, “What she said.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2026.

— With files from The Associated Press

Canadian Press staff, The Canadian Press