Regulations come into effect for world championships
‘The test is a very important step,’ says Sebastian Coe
Athletes will be eligible to compete in the female category for world-ranking competitions such as the world championships only if they clear a one-time gene test.
The test for the SRY gene, which needs to be taken only once and helps in determining biological sex, can be conducted via a cheek swab or blood test. World Athletics’ testing protocol will be overseen by member federations and the new regulations come into effect on 1 September, in time for that month’s world championships in Tokyo.
“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 World Athletics president, Sebastian Coe, said. “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.
