Gene Testing Met With 'Overwhelming Support' Ahead Of World Championships: Sebastian Coe

Last Updated:August 29, 2025, 09:33 IST

World Athletics president Coe confirms support for SRY gene testing to verify female eligibility ahead of Tokyo World Championships, aiming to protect women’s sport integrity.

(Credit: X)

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has praised the strong backing from athletes and federations for the introduction of gene testing for female competitors, just days before the World Championships begin in Tokyo.

The governing body has begun testing for the SRY gene, a segment of the Y chromosome responsible for male biological development.

How the Test Works

Under the new system, athletes who test negative for the Y chromosome are eligible to compete in the female category of world ranking competitions.

Those who test positive may only participate in female categories of non-world ranking competitions or in other designated classifications.

World Athletics has emphasized that the test is highly reliable. Conducted via a cheek swab or blood test, it is described as “extremely accurate", with false positives or negatives considered “extremely unlikely."

“This Is Not Gender Testing"

Speaking during the Diamond League Finals in Zurich on Thursday, Coe underlined that the measure was about protecting the integrity of women’s sport, not policing gender identity.

“We’re not gender testing. We’re verifying female biology. It’s not holding any other data. It’s not testing for anything else. It’s not DNA or genetic or DNA information," Coe said.

“Once it’s had its use, it’s a one-off test, and the information is destroyed. So I think this is the right place for our sport to be, and I think we’ve had overwhelming support for that position."

Coe revealed that over 90% of female athletes set to compete in Tokyo have already been tested, after the process was rolled out at national championship events earlier this year.

A Longstanding Debate in Sport

Athletics has wrestled for years with questions of fairness and inclusion in women’s competition:

Transgender women who have undergone male puberty are banned from competing in women’s events.

DSD (differences of sex development) athletes with naturally high testosterone levels must undergo treatment to reduce hormone levels to remain eligible.

The new SRY test is designed to supplement these existing policies, focusing solely on determining biological sex rather than medical interventions.

(with AFP inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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First Published:

August 29, 2025, 09:33 IST

News sports Gene Testing Met With 'Overwhelming Support' Ahead Of World Championships: Sebastian Coe

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