by All athletics athletes wishing to participate in the female elite category will have to prove that they are biologically female via a cheek stamp under new rules that should be adopted by sport.
Global athletics consults athletes on the impact of changes offered in its regulations on the eligibility of women and transgender athletes with differences in sexual development (DSD).
The effect of new proposals would be to treat transgender and DSD athletes in the same way, all athletes wishing to continue – or start – in competition in the female elite category necessary to prove that they are biologically female thanks to a swab cheated.
The test, that athletes would only need to take once in their career, would look for the Sry gene, which is almost always on the male ch chromosome and is used as an indicator of organic sex.
World Athletics has launched a new consultation process today on its eligibility conditions for the female category and current DSD regulations and transgender regulations.
Eligibility guidelines are being updated to reflect the latest developments in science, sport and law.
– World Athletics (@Worldathletics) February 10, 2025
A dry point blood test could also be used to determine the testosterone levels of an athlete, in addition to the presence of the SRY gene.
The proposals were developed by a working group on gender athletes, the consultation period starting on Monday and continuing until March 5.
A meeting of the World Athletics Council later in March should arise when the new regulations could be introduced.
The current rules for DSD athletes force them to reduce their testosterone levels less than 2.5 Nmol / L for at least six months to compete in any international category event. Previously, the obligation to reduce testosterone had applied only to athletes in competition at distances between 400 meters and a mile.
Changes in transgender eligibility rules in 2023 prohibited any athlete who had crossed part of the male puberty to participate in the female category.
The consultation will only require the opinions of athletes on the impact of changes. Alternative policy suggestions are not sought in the context of consultation and it is understood that it is only a question of knowing when – rather than – the new regulations come into force.
The president of world athletics, Sebastian Coe, made the protection of the female category a key pillar of his manifesto to be elected president of the International Olympic Committee next month.
Coe said on Monday: “Although our current eligibility regulations for DSD and Transgender athletes are robust and based on science available at the time of our last consultation, several scientific developments in this area have appeared since then and that is our Role, because the world managing body for athletics, to ensure that our guidelines follow the latest information available to maintain a fair and fair playground in the female category.
“The preservation of the integrity of the competition in the female category is a fundamental principle of the sport of athletics and we are impatiently awaiting this process of collaborative consultation with our main stakeholders in this field.”
Coe has already explained how the women’s boxing tournament at last summer Olympic Games, where two athletes won gold despite their disqualification of the 2023 world championships for having pretended to meet the criteria of eligibility between the sexes, left him “uncomfortable”.
Last week, COE responded to X to an article publishing the content of a decree of American president Donald Trump aimed at banning transgender athletes of female sports.
“The preservation of the integrity of competition in the female category is a fundamental principle of athletics sport and, as we know, it all starts in schools. The establishment of clear and unambiguous policies is a first critical step, “said Coe.
