‘Monumental Shift’: New Policy to Test Underweight Climbers for Eating Disorders Ahead of Olympics

February 9, 2024

Before climbers can win a gold medal in this year’s Olympic Games, they must prove they’re not dangerously underweight.

New rules announced Wednesday will require climbers to undergo additional testing before competing in any international climbing event, including the 2024 Paris Olympics. The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) designed the regulations to address climbers with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S).

Athletes with this condition aren’t eating enough for the energy they expend, potentially leading to health problems like eating disorders. The IFSC claims it’s the first “international federation” to regulate RED-S officially.  GJ