World Athletics has announced plans to introduce mandatory biological sex testing for athletes competing in female categories.
The move, spearheaded by President Sebastian Coe, aims to safeguard the integrity of women’s sports and address concerns surrounding gender eligibility.
The testing process will involve non-invasive methods, such as cheek swab or dry blood tests, to verify whether an athlete has undergone male puberty or has differences in sex development that provide a testosterone advantage.
According to Lord Coe, the testing will be straightforward, clear, and conducted to rigorous medical standards.
“This, we feel, is a really important way of providing confidence and maintaining that absolute focus on the integrity of competition,” Sky News quoted him as saying. “The pre-clearance testing will be for athletes to be able to compete in the female category.
“The process is very straightforward frankly, very clear and it’s an important one and we will work on the timelines.
“Neither of these are invasive. They are necessary and they will be done to absolute medical standards.”
The World Athletics Council is currently seeking testing providers to implement the new policy.
This development follows US President Donald Trump’s call to ban transgender women from competing in female events at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
While the International Olympic Committee (IOC) initially dismissed the idea of reintroducing sex testing, incoming President Kirsty Coventry has expressed openness to reconsidering the policy to protect female athletes.
The IOC previously introduced “certificates of femininity” in 1968 but abandoned the practice due to concerns over scientific accuracy and ethics.
The United Nations has also weighed in on the issue, with Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem advocating for the reintroduction of sex testing to prevent injuries to female athletes.
