US President Donald Trump Signs Executive Order Banning Transgender Athletes From Women's Sports

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (February 5), signed an executive order preventing transgender women from competing in women's sports. The order goes a step ahead and says that high-schools in America thought to be non-compliant with the order will be investigated. Trump signed the executive order in White House surrounded by young female athletes. The order goes into effect immediately and largely covers universities, high-schools and grassroot sports.

The order is titled "keeping Men Out of Women's Sports"

"If you let men take over women's sports teams or invade your locker rooms, you will be investigated for violations of Title IX and risk your federal funding," Trump said.

The executive order empowers federal agencies to ensure that entities who receive federal funding abide by Title IX.

Title IX prohibits sexual discrimination in educational programs that receive federal funding.

Trump administration's interpretation of 'sex' under Title IX however considers gender as something that was assigned to an individual at birth.

As he signed the executive order, Trump said that it would also apply in matters related to 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. He went on to say that he will deny visa to transgender athletes who would want to come to US to compete in the Olympics.

"The war on women's sports is over," Trump said before he signed the order.

"My administration will not stand by and watch men beat and batter female athletes."