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World Athletics Introduces Mandatory Gene Test for Female Category Eligibility from September 1, 2025.

Sports | Dated: 31 Jul 2025

On July 23, 2025, the World Athletics Council approved new eligibility regulations requiring all athletes wishing to compete in the female category at elite world-ranking competitions—such as the World Championships—to undergo a one-time SRY gene test. The new rules will become effective from September 1, 2025, ahead of the Tokyo World Championships scheduled for September 13–21.

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • - Under the new regulations, athletes must undergo a one-time genetic screening using either a cheek swab or dry blood spot test to confirm the presence or absence of the SRY gene, which determines male biological traits. The test is mandatory for all competitors in the female category at world-level events and will be managed by each athlete's national federation.
  • - World Athletics President Sebastian Coe emphasized that the policy is intended to safeguard fairness in female sport: “At elite level... you have to be biologically female,” noting that “gender cannot trump biology”. These rules aim to address biological performance advantages not mitigated by current testosterone-lowering regulations.
  • - This regulatory shift builds on earlier eligibility frameworks introduced in 2018 and 2023 that mandated transgender women who underwent male puberty be excluded and required athletes with Differences of Sex Development (DSD) to medically reduce testosterone below 2.5 nmol/L for at least six months. A working group identified gaps in those rules and recommended combining DSD and transgender guidelines under unified criteria.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • (i) Between February 10 and March 5, 2025, World Athletics invited feedback from member federations, athletes, and experts. The working group recommended five key measures, including pre-clearance testing for all female-category aspirants and formal validation of female category definitions. Most consulted stakeholders endorsed the reforms to align policy with scientific findings.
  • (ii) The move follows ongoing legal scrutiny involving high-profile athletes like Caster Semenya, whose appeal regarding DSD regulations was rejected by the European Court of Human Rights.
  • (iii) Similar genetic testing measures have been adopted in boxing, and broader sports bodies are evaluating eligibility reforms. World Athletics' decision places it among the first federations to enforce such rules.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

Recently, which international sports governing body introduced mandatory gene testing for female category eligibility from September 1, 2025?

Correct Answer: World Athletics

🚀 Quick Recap: