The new regulations of the World Athletics Council They require all athletes in the women’s category of events that serve as the basis for world ranking to make a unique genetic test of the Sry gene – considered a reliable proxy to determine biological sex. According to World Athletics, this sex screening – which detects the presence of a Y chromosome – will be adopted to protect the integrity of women’s competition.
The new regulations will already be applied to the Tokyo World Championship, which starts on September 13. The test protocol will be supervised by the member federations while preparing their athletes and teams for the championship in Japan.
Although there is an international controversy surrounding the participation of athletes in women’s competitions, this test is not directly linked to the theme. The test detects or not the presence of the Sry gene, which is part of the Y chromosome and makes male characteristics develop in people.
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As explained by a report from BBCIf a human embryo has XY chromosomes, the Sry gene leads to the formation of testicles, which then produces hormones, including testosterone, which lead to male development – increasing muscle mass and strength.
Research has shown that the athletes who were born men and underwent male puberty have physiological advantages over female born – with XX chromosomes and no gene Sry.
Diverse genre
Thus, the test is designed to determine biological sex in cases of athletes who are DSD – those born with differences in sexual development, a rare condition, in which a person’s hormones, genes and or reproductive organs can be a mixture of male and female characteristics. Some may be born with external female genitalia, but functional testicles, and are often certified as feminine at birth and created as such.
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When the new rules were announced in late July, former Olympic athlete Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, said the association’s philosophy is the protection and promotion of the integrity of women’s sport. “It is very important in a sport that is permanently trying to attract more women that they enter a sport believing that there is no biological glass ceiling. The test to confirm biological sex is a very important step to ensure that this is the case,” he explained.
“We are saying, at the level of elite, for you to compete in the female category, you have to be biologically feminine. It has always been very clear to me and the world council of athletics that the genre cannot overcome biology,” he said.
The new regulations follow the recommendations of the diverse gender athlete working group approved by the Council in March 2025. This group spent more than a year studying developments in the law, science, sports and society compared to different gender athletes and made the following recommendations that were widely consulted earlier this year:
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• Formally state design and objectives for the female category.
• Review eligibility regulations so that they are consistent with design and objectives.
• Merge DSD regulations (differences in sexual development) and transgender and, if the effect is to restrict opportunities for DSD athletes, to adopt measures to meet the confidence interest of those currently underway.
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• To adopt a prior authorization requirement for all athletes competing in the female category.
• Consider future initiatives, including to support elite XY athletes with gender diversity.
The female athlete category is defined in the 3.5 eligibility rule, which states that only the following athletes can compete in this category:
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the. Biological women.
b. Biological women who used testosterone as part of male gender affirmation treatment and a therapeutic use exemption from the World Athletics anti -doping rules cannot compete in the female category until the time of time after the last use of testosterone
w. Biological men who have complete androgenous insensitivity syndrome and therefore have not undergone male sexual development, including any type of male puberty.
d. Biological men with a difference in sexual development that satisfies the transient provisions issued by the World Athletics.
Transitional provisions do not apply to transgender women, as there is no competing at the international level of elite under current regulations.
Controversy in boxing
The gender debate was especially hot in the Paris Games dispute in 2024 due to the Algerian title Imane Khelif. His victories were criticized by Donald Trump, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and the author of the Harry Potter saga books, JK Rowling, among others.
Due to the controversy, World Boxing has introduced genetic tests and has reported that they will be in force at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
In February, already sworn in the US President, Trump, signed a decree in order to exclude transgender girls and women from women’s sports, which points to effective control also at the Olympics.
The new president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kirsty Coventry, has already positioned themselves in favor of a general approach to the theme in sport, a change from previous management, which left these decisions to the federations of each category.
