World Athletics is set to introduce a swab test for elite athletes who wish to compete in the women’s category at international events.
The “pre-clearance requirement” is one of several changes that will further tighten regulations concerning the eligibility of transgender and difference of sex development (DSD) athletes.
In March 2023 World Athletics banned transgender athletes who had gone through male puberty from competing in the female category in international competition.
However, following recommendations from the World Athletics council, external the governing body is now set to revise its eligibility regulations for male-to-female trans athletes on the basis of fresh evidence it said shows there was a “significant performance gap before the onset of puberty”.
The current rules for DSD athletes, meanwhile, require them to reduce their testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for at least six months to compete in any female category event internationally.
World Athletics has now proposed the rules for both DSD and transgender athletes should be the same because new evidence has “clarified that testosterone suppression in 46XY DSD, external and 46XY transgender individuals can only ever partly mitigate the overall male advantage”.
A World Athletics council meeting next month is expected to determine when the new regulations could be implemented.
World Athletics president Lord Coe made “protecting” eligibility of the women’s category a key component of his bid to be elected International Olympic Committee president.
Coe said on Monday the proposed new rules “keep up with the latest information available” to maintain “a fair and level playing field in the female category”.
“Preserving the integrity of competition in the female category is a fundamental principle of the sport of athletics and we look forward to this collaborative consultation process with our key stakeholders in this area,” he added.
World Athletics said the cheek swab test would look for the SRY gene, which is “almost always on the male Y chromosome” and “is used as a highly accurate proxy for biological sex”.
A dry spot blood test could also be used to determine an athlete’s testosterone levels, in addition to the presence of the SRY gene.
There have been calls for mandatory sex testing at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 via swab checks, but there has been disagreement among scientists as to their effectiveness.
Professor Alun Williams, who researches genetic factors related to sport performance at the Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport, told BBC Sport last year that a cheek swab alone would “not allow you to reach a robust conclusion on someone’s sex and potential advantage in sport”.
The proposals developed by a World Athletics working group on gender diverse athletes will now go through a consultation period from 10 February until 5 March.
However, the views of athletes will only be heard during this time and alternative policy proposals to the one outlined are not being sought.
