The World Athletics Council has introduced a mandatory SRY (Sex-determining region Y) gene test for athletes who want to compete in the female category at world-ranking competitions. This new regulation will come into effect on 1 September 2025 and will be applied to the World Athletics Championships, which takes place from 13 -21 September 2025 in Tokyo.
The SRY gene test will be conducted via a cheek swab or blood test which detects the presence or absence of the Y chromosome. All athletes who want to compete in the female category at the World Championships must take a one-time SRY gene test, which helps to confirm their biological sex.
The testing protocol will be overseen by Member Federations as they prepare their athletes and teams for the Championships in Tokyo.
According to World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, the purpose of the new regulation is very clear: “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”, Coe added.
The new regulations follow the recommendations from the Gender Diverse Athlete Working Group approved by Council in March 2025.
What the SRY Test Entails
Athletes will only need to undergo the test once in their lifetime. A negative result for the SRY gene (absence of the Y chromosome) confirms eligibility for the female category. A positive result (presence of the Y chromosome) or the refusal of test would make the athlete ineligible to compete in the female category at world-ranking meets but they can still compete in non-world ranking events or in other categories.
World Athletics has stated it will contribute up to USD 100 per test to support the cost for athletes competing in Tokyo 2025. Member Federations will be responsible for conducting the tests using procedures similar to those followed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2021.
As published by the World Athletics, the female-athlete category is defined in the Eligibility Rule 3.5, which states that only the following athletes will 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.
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