Why it matters
World Athletics is introducing one of the most consequential eligibility policies in modern track and field: female athletes at elite world-ranking events will be required to undergo genetic sex testing. The rule is likely to fuel global debate over fairness, inclusion and human rights in sport.
What’s happening
Starting Sept. 1, 2025, just days before the World Championships in Tokyo, athletes seeking to compete in the female category at world-ranking competitions must take a one-time test for the SRY gene, which is located on the Y chromosome and initiates male biological development.
- The test will be administered via cheek swab or blood sample and managed by each national federation as part of pre-competition clearance.
- A positive result disqualifies athletes from elite-level female competition but does not bar them from open or non-world-ranking categories.
- World Athletics says the test is “extremely accurate” with a negligible risk of error.
Background
The regulation stems from recommendations by the organization’s Gender Diverse Athlete Working Group, which spent over a year reviewing developments in sports science, legal precedent and human rights.
- The new rule merges and replaces previous policies governing transgender and DSD (differences of sex development) athletes.
- Transgender women who experienced male puberty have already been banned from female events.
- DSD athletes were previously required to medically lower their natural testosterone levels to compete in certain disciplines — a policy now deemed insufficient by the governing body.
What they’re saying
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe called the rule essential to maintaining fairness in women’s sport.
“In a sport that is permanently trying to attract more women, they need to believe there’s no biological glass ceiling,” Coe said. “At elite level, for you to compete in the female category, you have to be biologically female.”
Coe added that while gender identity is respected, biological sex will determine eligibility for elite competition.
Legal and ethical pushback
The policy arrives just weeks after the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of Caster Semenya, the two-time Olympic 800m champion who was barred from her main event under previous testosterone rules.
- The court found that Swiss authorities failed to properly hear Semenya’s appeal, but stopped short of striking down the rules themselves.
- Still, the decision highlights the growing legal scrutiny surrounding sex-based eligibility in international sport.
The global trend
World Athletics is not acting alone:
- In May 2025, World Boxing implemented mandatory SRY testing for all competitors.
- World Aquatics introduced an open category for athletes not eligible for male or female divisions under current rules.
Who remains eligible
- Biological females, including those who previously used testosterone as part of gender-affirming treatment but have discontinued it for at least four years.
- Individuals with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, a rare condition in which genetically male individuals do not undergo male puberty.
Privacy and process
World Athletics stated it will:
- Respect athlete privacy and gender identity,
- Never mandate surgical procedures, and
- Fully comply with data protection laws.
What’s next
The new policy will take effect just ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo, which run from Sept. 13 to 21, 2025. It is poised to become one of the most significant and controversial eligibility shifts in the history of international athletics.
