Amid the hardening of the rules for the participation of transgender women in sport, a controversial initiative at the World Athletics to verify the biological sex of athletes has been the target of criticism.
Under the allegation of search for justice in the female category, the International Athletics Federation announced at the end of March that it will require all athletes undergo a saliva test to determine if they are able to compete among women.
“We feel that this is a way of providing confidence and focusing on the integrity of the competition,” said Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics. “We would never have opted for that if it wasn’t to protect the female category.”
By 2023, the federation had already vetoed participation in women’s athletes who have undergone male puberty – the stage usually starts around 12 years.
With the new onslaught, World Athletics also tightens the siege of athletes with DDS (sexual differentiation disorders), a term used to describe the group of women who, due to genetic mutations, have changes in the typical development of sexual characters, but are not trans.
In certain situations, they may have internal rudimentary testicles and the Y chromosome marked in genes – which determines biological sex as male -, causing greater testosterone production, although they may be immune to the effects of hormone.
The initiative goes back to the mid -1960s practices, when sports entities began to adopt compulsory check tests.
The first and most controversial method was seen at the 1966 European Athletics in Budapest. He consisted of stabbing the naked athletes to pass by tests conducted by a medical bank.
Faced with criticism of the invasive method, it was demanded at Mexico games two years later, microscopic test via oral smear to see if women had the Y chromosome in their genes.
The requirement fell only in the late 1990s, when the tests were restricted to cases of suspicion or fraud denounce.
Endocrinologist, Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of UFRGS (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul) and consultant at ABCD (Brazilian doping Control Authority), Rogério Friedman explained that World Athletics saliva test does not differ much from the adopted for about 60 years.
It basically collects athletes’ cells to verify the existence of the Sex-Determining Region of Y Chromosome (SRI) gene. “This gene marks the presence of the Y chromosome, which establishes biological sex as male.”
The method for identifying the gene is PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), the same used in Covid-19 tests. It allows, from the sample in contact with chemical reagents, to identify DNA sequences or single genes.
According to Carolina Barros, a biologist and master from PIEC/USP (Interunitous Graduate Program in Science Teaching at the University of São Paulo), among the situations framed as DDS, there are women with the Sry gene whose bodies are immune to testosterone production.
“It may happen that the person has the Sry gene, but not being activated. So, the genetic characteristics expressed in the physical body will be those most related to the female body.”
Spanish María José Martínez Patiño was one of the first known cases about it. In 1985, then 24, she was prevented from competing in 100 m with barriers at the World University Games in Japan when she disapproved of the eligibility test. Exams indicated the presence of the Y chromosome.
At the time, she said she was surprised by the diagnosis. He reported having undergone numerous gynecological tests, had vagina and breasts and considered himself – and had always been perceived as – woman.
After a series of medical investigations, the conclusion was that it was intersex (term previously used to refer to people with DDS) and had no sensitivity to testosterone. In 1988, he had his return to competitions in the authorized female category.
Professor at the Faculty of Education and Sport Sciences at the University of Vigo, Spain, Patiño criticized the announcement of the World Athletics.
“What they are doing, in my opinion, is to harm the new generations that may never be athletes, but to which, with this normative, they are saying, ‘Although their development is that of a woman, you are actually a man,'” Patiño said in an interview with El País.
“The first thing they have to do is differentiate between trans and DDS women to avoid causing any comparative damage. One thing is the personal choice, to which we all have the right, and another medical-genetic issue, and with these normatives do not make differentiation.”
Trans Researcher of Sports Medicine at MMU (Manchester Metropolitan University), Blair Hamilton said in a publication on social networks that the World Athletics proposal “is not justified, ethical or viable.”
Co -author of the article “Criteria of fair and insurance eligibility for female sport,” Hamilton argues that there is no evidence “that show an advantage in athletic performance to justify tests and regulation of an entire population of competitors.”
In a note sent to SheetWorld Athletics said the Sry gene test “is screening, not a final decision test.”
According to the entity, DDS boards will still be eligible to compete in the female category, with the forecast of a dry blood test to measure testosterone. Considered poorly invasive, the test is performed from a small blood sample, which undergoes analysis after drying.
“Athletes with positive SRY test have the possibility of demonstrating that they have complete insensitivity to androgens, and World Athletics can help them in this process.”
To athletes with DDS, the Federation establishes in its policy testosterone limit below 2.5 NMOL/L for 24 months before the competition, considered compatible with the average in the women’s category.
The most emblematic case in the sport is the South African Caster Semenya, a two-time Olympic champion in the 800 m, with triumphs in London, in 2012, and Rio de Janeiro, in 2016.
Its staff is classified as hyperandrogenism, a type of endocrine disorder that generates above average testosterone production.
In 2019, a new World Athletics policy determined that runners with Semenya’s staff undergoing hormonal treatment to reduce testosterone if they wanted to continue to participate in evidence between 400 me 1,600 m. Distances when, in the federation evaluation, they could take advantage.
The recommendation was rejected by the athlete, who said he was discriminated against the Federation. She was prevented from competing in the distances.
Semenya then ran in the 5,000 was South African champion. In 2022, he participated in the Eugene World Cup in the United States, ending outside the finals in 13th position.
Timeline of the biological sex check of athletes
1966
Rinked and naked, athletes underwent an examination conducted by medical bank, in practice that began compulsoryly at the European athletics in Budapest.
1968
Microscopic examination is adopted from the games in Mexico City, with the search for the Y chromosome.
1999
Tests are no longer compulsory, restricted from then on to cases of suspicion or reporting of fraud.
2025
World Athletics announces saliva test to verify biological sex of all athletes in the sport.
