Athletes competing in female events to require test to determine biological sex
Independent2 days
World Athletics Mandates Gene Testing for Female Athletes
Above: Competitors in the Women's 60-Meter Hurdles at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 2025 on March 23, 2025. Image copyright: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
The Spin
Right narrative
This new test protects the integrity of women's sports by ensuring biological females compete against biological females, maintaining the purpose of separate gender categories in competition. The SRY gene test will create fair competition for female athletes who have trained their entire lives.
Left narrative
This new testing policy is scientifically flawed and discriminatory. Chromosomal tests lack certainty, have no linkage to performance and can disproportionately harm women of color. This harmful practice was abandoned in 1991 for good reason — it threatens the well-being and dignity of female athletes.