World Athletics President Sebastian Coe says that female athletes will have to undergo a genetic test to compete in women’s events.
Coe outlined this plan at a press conference on 25 March, where he called the proposed process “very straightforward” and “important”. However, work has only just begun, with the organisation yet to find a test provider or write essential regulations.
Future testing is likely to be a cheek swab or dry blood spot analysis test, aiming to ensure female athletes don’t have the SRY gene, which determines male sex in humans. This testing is one of several recommendations shared with World Athletics.
Coe said: “The pre-clearance testing will be for athletes to be able to compete in the female category.
“The process is very straightforward, frankly very clear, and it’s an important one. We will look for a testing provider, we will work on the timelines, and the tests will only need to be done once in the career life of an athlete.”
World Athletics, the governing body for track and field and running events, is one of many organisations facing pressure to maintain the integrity of women’s sports in recent years.
The debate surrounding transgender athletes’ eligibility to compete in female sports has been ongoing.
Critics argue that male-born athletes have a physical advantage. However, governing bodies have found the issue to be more complex. Some male-born athletes have not gone through puberty, while some female-born athletes have higher levels of testosterone.
Despite this, World Athletics has made its position clear by banning transgender athletes from competing in female events, and those with higher testosterone levels must lower them before competing.
Coe reaffirmed the organisation’s stance at the press conference, stating: “We’ll doggedly protect the female category and do whatever it takes to do it.”
There is increasing pressure on World Athletics to implement testing protocols sooner rather than later, especially with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games on the horizon.
US President Donald Trump has been vocal on the issue, even signing an executive order to ban transgender athletes from competing in male sports across US leagues.
Without clear testing procedures and a favorable stance, World Athletics may face challenges at the Olympics, particularly given Trump’s recent scrutiny of the games.
