World Athletics Approves Mandatory Genetic Testing for Female Athletes

The policy, set for implementation before the September 2025 World Championships, aims to ensure fair competition by verifying biological sex through non-invasive testing.

World Athletics has introduced mandatory genetic testing for female athletes, requiring a one-time cheek swab or dry blood spot test to confirm biological sex.
The testing will verify the presence of the SRY gene, a marker for male biological sex, and is intended to maintain the integrity of women's sports.
The policy builds on the organization's 2023 ban on transgender women who have undergone male puberty and reflects new evidence of performance gaps between sexes even before puberty.
World Athletics plans to finalize regulations and select a testing provider in the coming weeks, with the goal of implementing the policy before the Tokyo World Championships in September 2025.
The decision has reignited debates over fairness and inclusion, particularly concerning its impact on athletes with differences in sex development (DSD), but World Athletics remains confident in its legal defensibility.