Women’s genetic testing will be introduced by World Athletics

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe announced on Tuesday that female athletes will soon need to take a one-time DNA test in order to compete in women’s events, following discussions at the organization’s council on proposals to tighten eligibility requirements.

Coe stated that the international organization that oversees road-running and track-and-field competitions would soon establish regulations and locate a test provider capable of doing the dry blood spot analysis or non-invasive cheek swab tests.

To demonstrate that they lack the SRY gene, which controls male sex in humans and the majority of other mammals, athletes would only need to take the test once during their careers.

Athletes with variations of sex development (DSD) and transgender athletes have been the subject of years of debate regarding qualifying requirements to compete in women’s competitions, similar to other sports.

Transgender women who have experienced male puberty are no longer permitted to compete in women’s events by World Athletics, and female DSD athletes must reduce their high testosterone levels in order to qualify.

Last month, a working group determined that those regulations were insufficiently stringent and came to the conclusion that male-born athletes may have an edge over female-born athletes, even if they do not experience male puberty.

The panel suggested a number of changes to the regulations, including a pre-clearance test for the SRY gene.

“The pre-clearance testing will be for athletes to be able to compete in the female category,” Coe stated to reporters.

“The process is straightforward, important, and, to be honest, quite transparent. The tests will only need to be completed once during an athlete’s career, and we will find a testing provider and work on the schedule.”

Coe expressed his confidence that the new regulations will withstand examination and legal challenges.

“We’ll doggedly protect the female category and do whatever it takes to do it.”

According to Coe, World Athletics is likewise dedicated to raising Olympic champion reward money. For the first time, it gave gold medalists $50,000 each at the Paris Games last year. It has also vowed to give silver and bronze medalists money for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Coe stated that the entire prize money from events during the next four-year cycle will amount to $51 million. “That’s something that I’ve always believed: where possible, you make the financial security of the athlete one of your priorities,” Coe added.

The sanctions against Russia and Belarus, whose athletes have been barred from international competitions since 2022 due to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, will not be lifted, according to World Athletics.