EXPLAINED: World Athletics’ SRY gene test for athletes wishing to compete in the female category
The World Athletics Council has approved new regulations concerning eligibility conditions to compete in the female category for world ranking competitions.
The new regulations will come into effect on September 1, 2025 and will be applied to the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, that begins on September 13.
All athletes wishing to compete in the female category at the World Championships are required to undergo a once-in-a-lifetime test for the SRY gene – a reliable proxy for determining biological sex. This is to be conducted via a cheek swab or blood test, whichever is more convenient.
The testing protocol will be overseen by individual athletics federations as they prepare their athletes and teams for Tokyo Championships.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe labelled this move an important step in attracting more women to athletics.
“The philosophy that we hold dear in World Athletics is the protection and the promotion of the integrity of women’s sport. It is really important in a sport that is permanently trying to attract more women that they enter a sport believing there is no biological glass ceiling. The test to confirm biological sex is a very important step in ensuring this is the case.
“We are saying, at elite level, for you to compete in the female category, you have to be biologically female. It was always very clear to me and the World Athletics Council that gender cannot trump biology,” added Coe.
The new regulations follow recommendations from the Gender Diverse Athlete Working Group approved by Council in March 2025.
The female athlete category is defined in WA’s Eligibility Rule 3.5, which states that only the following athletes may compete in this category:
a. Biological females.
b. Biological females who have used testosterone as part of male gender-affirming treatment further to a Therapeutic Use Exemption granted in accordance with World Athletics’ Anti-Doping Rules may not compete in the female category until the passing of a period of time after their last use of testosterone (the period of time will be not shorter than four years and will be determined by World Athletics on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration all relevant factors including the timing, duration, dosages and effects of the male gender-affirming treatment).
c. Biological males who have Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome and therefore have not gone through male sexual development including any type of male puberty.
d. Biological males with a difference of sex development who satisfy the transitional provisions issued by World Athletics.