World Athletics (International Athletics Federation), Sebastian Coe, announced on Tuesday (25) that the federation approved the use of a saliva test to determine whether an athlete is biologically feminine and can compete in the events for women.
In a news conference after the World Cup covered in Nanjing, China, the leader pointed out that the test is “important” to ensure the “integrity of female sport”.
“We believe it is very important to give confidence and maintain focus on the integrity of the competition,” Coe reiterated, who last week was one of the candidates defeated by Zimbabuana Kirsty Coventry in the presidential presidential elections (International Olympic Committee).
The Briton explained that the measure was taken after studies conducted by the World Athletics and that, not excessively invasive, the test is legal. “The general opinion is that it is the way forward,” he said.
“We would never have opted for that if it wasn’t to protect the female category in the sport,” he continued.
Unlike other international federations, World Athletics is one of the federations that has imposed the most obstacles in recent years to the participation of hyperandrogen and transgender athletes in women’s competitions.
Following the victory of South African Caster Semenya in the 800m of Beijing 2008 games, World Athletics is requiring athletes with “sexual development difference” or DDS (previously called intersexuality) to reduce their testosterone levels and, since 2023, excludes transgender athletes of female competition if they have done the transition after puberty.
