World Athletics to introduce genetic testing to assess transgender athlete participation

March 27, 2025

Nigel Benton

Sport / Technology /

In a move to combat trans athlete participation in its events, World Athletics has advised that it will introduce genetic testing for female athletes to verify biological sex.

While no timeline has been confirmed for the testing, the Press Association says that World Athletics is aiming to have it in place for September's World Championships in Tokyo.

The testing will require those wishing to compete in women's athletic events needing to complete a "pre-clearance requirement" once in their career. In practice, it will likely include cheek swabs or blood tests.

Reporting on issue, the BBC advised “the test will look for the SRY gene which is part of the Y chromosome and causes male characteristics to develop.”

World Athletics said the test was "a highly accurate proxy for biological sex" that would need to be taken just once by an athlete during their career.

The move is among several recommendations that have been approved at the World Athletics Council meeting to tighten regulations over the eligibility of transgender and difference of sex development (DSD) athletes.

Advising that the decision was further evidence that federation would "doggedly" protect the female category, World Athletics President, Lord Coe (pictured below) stated “it's important to do it because it maintains everything that we've been talking about, and particularly recently, about not just talking about the integrity of female women's sport, but actually guaranteeing it.

"We feel this is a really important way of providing confidence and maintaining that absolute focus on the integrity of competition."

Two years ago, World Athletics banned transgender athletes who had gone through male puberty from competing in the female category in international competition.

Its most recent move follows a consultation that saw a majority of stakeholders agreeing “that allowing only biological female athletes to compete in the female category was essential to maintaining fairness.”

Last month, its working group recommended further steps based on new evidence which it said showed there was a "significant performance gap before the onset of puberty".

In addition, World Athletics will also merge regulations for both DSD and transgender athletes after the working group said new evidence showed testosterone suppression "can only ever partly mitigate the overall male advantage in the sport of athletics".

IOC President-elect Coventry not ruling out sex testing
Newly-elected International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry, who beat Lord Coe to that role last week, told Sky News after her appointment that she was not ruling out sex testing, saying: "This is a conversation that's happened and the international federations have taken a far greater lead in this conversation.

"We know in equestrian sex is really not an issue, but in other sports it is.

"So what I'd like to do again is bring the international federations together and sit down and try and come up with a collective way forward for all of us to move."

Ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes 'adequate'
During their meeting in China this week, the World Athletics Council also approved a recommendation that the current sanctions on Russian and Belarusian athletes are "adequate".

Competitors from the two countries have been banned from World Athletics events, including under a neutral flag, since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

About the author

Nigel Benton

Co-founder/Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management

Born in the English county of Dorset, Nigel Benton is the co-founder and Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management, Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific’s only magazine for professionals in all areas of the leisure industry and the www.ausleisure.com.au website - the go to news resource for industry leaders and professionals.

With a long-term commitment to communicating all that is best about the leisure industry (aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues) his career has been defined by an ability to develop and implement industry communications.

Starting his career working in heritage visitor attractions and then adventure travel in Africa and the Middle East, an interest in writing about his experiences led to his change of career into magazine journalism and publishing.

In addition to publishing, Nigel speaks on marketing communications at a range of industry events.

He was made a Life Member of the World Leisure and Recreation Association in 2006 and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (London).

In 2020, he launched the new Asian Leisure Business website.

As of October 2024, he was inducted into the Australian Fitness Awards Roll of Honour at the 2024 AUSactive National Awards.

Among a range of published works and features, his comments on a Blog (blogspot) from 2007 to 2011, when this website went live in its current form, may be interesting to reflect back on.

His philosophy on life is to be kind to all and to indulge those that you love.

His passions include family, Newcastle United and motorcycles (especially British ones) as well, until February 2025 when she left us, caring a little pug named Stella.

Click here to connect with him via LinkedIn.