Nikki Hiltz reveals harsh reality of track and field days after calling out IOC's decision on transgender athletes

Days after taking a jab at the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Nikki Hiltz shared their view on training as a professional with teammates. Hiltz criticized the IOC for banning transgender athletes from competing in women's sports.

Hiltz last competed in the 2025 season at the Athlos NYC event in New York, where they finished in third place after recording 4:32.51 in the mile event. They also competed in the 1500m at the World Athletics Championships, held in Tokyo, and settled in fifth place with 3:57.08.

Recently, they shared their views as a professional athlete, stating that once an athletes starts competing as a professional, they don't have teammates, like team sports do. In an Instagram story, they shared that even though the athletes have supportive partners, the sport is individual.

"There's no such thing as 'teammates' in professional track and field training groups, and training partners can obviously be great, super supportive, and helpful in reaching your goals and making the grind more fun, but at the end of the day it's an extremely individual sport. Once you are a professional, the people you train with aren't your 'teammates', they're your training partners," Hiltz wrote.

Screenshot of Nikki Hiltz's Instagram story.

Hiltz called out the IOC for the new developments in the participation of transgender athletes by referring to the organization as misogynistic.

Nikki Hiltz criticizes the new IOC policies that affect the cis gender women athletes

Nikki Hiltz at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Getty Images)

Nikki Hiltz slammed the new policy drafted by the International Olympic Committee, stating it also affects the cis gender women athletes. World Athletics has set a limit on the testosterone level for women athletes to compete. As they were assigned female at birth and haven't undergone any transition surgery, Hiltz is allowed to compete in the events.

However, in a recent Instagram story, they stated that although the policy targets trans athletes, it affects cis gender women too.

"Policing trans people and stripping them of their rights has never just been about trans people. It's rooted in misogyny and controlling women and femininity. This is a direct example of how transphobia will effect cis women. 'Cis Females with Male levels of Testosterone' hello? What are male levels of testosterone? How are they going to determine what's too high of levels? Who will be targeted? At what point is a cis woman athlete too tall or too strong to compete? And also, why shouldn't cis women with naturally elevated levels of testosterone not be able to compete in the Olympics? Are cis men with naturally elevated levels of testosterone going to be able to compete?"

Earlier, the organization gave the freedom to individual federations to decide the participation of transgender athletes.

Edited by Janhavi Shinde