World Athletics, the global governing body for track and field, has ignited intense debate and logistical challenges across the sporting world with the introduction of mandatory gender identity testing for female athletes ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships. This sweeping new regulation, set to take effect on September 1, 2025, mandates that all athletes wishing to compete in the women’s category must undergo a once-in-a-lifetime gene test to confirm the presence or absence of the SRY gene—a key genetic marker for biological sex determination.
The decision comes in the wake of high-profile controversies, most notably the uproar surrounding Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Both athletes clinched gold medals amid allegations and heated debates about gender eligibility, with Khelif previously banned from International Boxing Association competition in 2023 due to gender testing issues. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was even warned about Khelif’s eligibility and urged to remove her from the Olympic competition, highlighting the growing tension and scrutiny around gender policies in elite sport.
World Athletics President Lord Sebastian Coe has been unwavering in his stance on the matter. “We are saying, at elite level, for you to compete in the female category, you have to be biologically female,” Coe stated. “It was always very clear to me and the World Athletics Council that gender cannot trump biology.” He further emphasized, “We are determined to protect and [promote the] integrity of women’s sports.”
The new regulations, which stem from recommendations made by the Gender Diverse Athlete Working Group and approved by the World Athletics Council in March 2025, require athletes to submit either a DNA cheek swab or a blood test. These non-invasive procedures will be used to detect the SRY gene on the Y chromosome, which triggers the development of male characteristics. In certain cases, testosterone levels may also be assessed via dry blood spot analysis. Coe, who is set to step down as head of World Athletics in 2027 after three terms, defended the regulation’s necessity and the exhaustive review process that led to its adoption. “Neither of these are invasive,” he asserted. “They are necessary and they will be done to international medical standards.”
Yet, as the September deadline looms, the rollout of the new gene testing system has been anything but smooth. Female athletes in Canada, for example, were recently informed that the gene tests they had undergone at their national championships did not meet World Athletics’ requirements. Athletics Canada, which had commissioned the company Dynacare for the initial round of testing, discovered that the test kits provided were not of the required standard. In an email to athletes, Athletics Canada relayed Dynacare’s advice and outlined the urgent need for retesting using compliant kits.
“It’s a rapidly evolving situation which we’re dealing with in real time,” Athletics Canada CEO Mathieu Gentes told Reuters. “We are doing everything within our power in the interest of athletes to ensure that we meet World Athletics’ September 1st deadline for completion of the test. We are working on solutions to assist athletes in locations around the world.” Dynacare is now dispatching new test kits to athletes based in both Canada and the United States, along with information on testing locations to expedite the process.
The challenges are even more pronounced in France, where national bioethics law prohibits such genetic testing. The French Athletics Federation (FFA) had intended to conduct SRY gene tests at their national championships, but the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Sports intervened, citing the 1994 French Bioethics Law. “As a result, ultimately, no action was carried out,” the FFA stated to Reuters. French athletes are now seeking alternative meets and training camps outside their country to complete the required testing. The FFA remains hopeful, expressing confidence in World Athletics’ ability to facilitate solutions that enable French athletes to compete under the best possible conditions.
World Athletics has responded by coordinating with federations from France, Poland, Belgium, and Switzerland to provide testing opportunities at the four remaining Diamond League meetings hosted in those countries, as well as at pre-worlds training camps outside France. Jackie Brock-Doyle, Director of Special Projects for World Athletics, acknowledged the complexities but stressed the importance of the regulation. “It’s really important in a sport that’s permanently trying to attract more women that they enter a sport believing there is no biological glass ceiling,” she said. “The test to confirm biological sex is a very important step in ensuring this is the case.”
Brock-Doyle also addressed concerns about the tight implementation timeline and the potential for athletes to miss the Tokyo championships, which begin September 13, due to incomplete testing. She estimated that 40-50 percent of athletes have already been tested and clarified that those awaiting results past the deadline will still be permitted to compete in Japan. “Not every single result may come through, because some countries it may take two, three weeks,” she noted. Any adverse results—and the athlete’s performances—will be investigated after the competition.
Critics have argued that the regulations were pushed through too quickly and have left athletes and federations scrambling. Brock-Doyle conceded, “Would it have been better if we’d had a little bit more time? Maybe. But the reason we’ve chosen the world championships is that it’s probably around 80-plus percent of all our elite [female] athletes there.”
The introduction of the SRY gene test has sparked heated debate across the global athletics community. Supporters argue that clear biological standards are essential to preserve the integrity of women’s competition, while opponents question the ethics, legality, and inclusivity of such measures—especially in countries where genetic testing is legally restricted. The situation has forced federations, athletes, and governing bodies into a race against the clock, with the eyes of the sporting world fixed on how these unprecedented regulations will play out on the eve of one of track and field’s biggest stages.
As the countdown to the Tokyo World Athletics Championships continues, athletes, coaches, and officials are navigating a complex landscape of legal, ethical, and logistical hurdles. With World Athletics promising flexibility for those awaiting test results, the field remains wide open, and the sporting world waits to see how these groundbreaking changes will shape the future of women’s athletics.
