Female athletes will soon be required to undergo a one-time genetic test to compete in women’s events, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has said.
Coe, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, said that official regulations would be drafted soon and that World Athletics, which oversees track-and-field and road-running events, would partner with a testing provider capable of conducting non-invasive cheek swabs or dry blood spot analysis.
The test will be conducted once in an athlete’s career to confirm the absence of the SRY gene, which determines male sex in humans and other mammals.
The debate over eligibility criteria in women’s sports has persisted for years, particularly concerning transgender athletes and individuals with differences of sex development (DSD). World Athletics currently prohibits transgender women who have undergone male puberty from competing in women’s events and mandates that female DSD athletes with high testosterone levels must lower them to compete.
A working group determined last month that the existing rules were insufficient, concluding that athletes born male could retain advantages over those born female, even without undergoing male puberty. One of the key recommendations was implementing a pre-clearance test for the SRY gene.
The pre-clearance testing will determine an athlete’s eligibility to compete in the female category,” Coe explained. “The process is simple, clear, and necessary. We will identify a testing provider, establish timelines, and ensure that the test is required only once in an athlete’s career.”
Additionally, Coe reaffirmed World Athletics’ commitment to increasing prize money for Olympic champions. The organization introduced prize money at the Paris 2024 Games, awarding $50,000 to each gold medalist, and plans to extend financial rewards to silver and bronze medalists at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
“Financial security for athletes has always been a priority,” Coe noted, revealing that total prize money across events in the next four-year cycle would amount to $51 million.
World Athletics also confirmed that there would be no changes to the sanctions against Russia and Belarus. Their athletes remain barred from international competitions due to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Prakhar Sachdeo
The Sportz Planet Desk
