Key Highlights
- From 1 September 2025, a single SRY‑gene test will become mandatory for every athlete wishing to compete in the female division at World Athletics events.
- The requirement will be put in place during the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo 2025, acting as the first global arena to apply the rule.
- Eligibility will still accommodate biological females, those with certain DSDs, and a small subset of athletes with Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, without mandating surgery or altering gender‑identity status.
- World Athletics stresses that the measure is intended to uphold fair competition, while safeguarding human‑rights commitments and data‑privacy safeguards.
- The decision follows a year‑long deliberation by the Gender‑Diverse Athlete Working Group, whose draft recommendations were formally endorsed in March 2025.
Detailed Insights
Implementation and Scope
The World Athletics Council has outlined a straightforward protocol: athletes can submit a cheek‑swab or blood sample, and the certified laboratory—under the oversight of the relevant Member Federation—will return an SRY‑gene result. The verification must occur once per athlete’s career, and a positive result will confirm eligibility to represent the female category.
Rationale and Philosophy
“Biology is the arbiter of competition within the women’s domain,” the Council asserted. The rule is designed to prevent a “biological glass ceiling” that could undermine the integrity of women’s sport. At the same time, World Athletics issued clear statements that athletes’ gender‑identity, dignity and data confidentiality will remain protected.
Recommendations that Shaped the Rule
- Affirmation of the female category’s core goals.
- Consolidation of the DSD and transgender regulations into a single, coherent framework.
- Mandatory pre‑clearance for every female‑category entrant.
- Transitional provisions for athletes already in the qualification pipeline.
- Commitment to future support programs for elite XY athletes with gender‑diverse conditions.
Who May Compete?
Rule 3.5 enumerates eligible athletes: biological females, biological females who have undergone testosterone‑based gender‑affirming therapy if they have a minimum four‑year hiatus from last use, males with Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) having no male puberty, and males with DSDs who satisfy transitional criteria. Transgender women are currently excluded from competition because no such athletes exist at the elite international level.
Commitments of World Athletics
- No interrogation of gender‑identity.
- Full respect for athletes’ privacy and dignity.
- Strict adherence to data‑protection regulations.
- No surgical mandate for eligibility.
Tokyo 2025: A Testbed for the Policy
The Tokyo Championships will be the first large‑scale test of the decree, giving the governing body insight into its real‑world impact, potential backlash, and the responses of the global sporting community. World Athletics maintains that the rule is essential to preserve fairness while respecting individual rights.
Key Concepts
- SRY Gene – A Y‑chromosome gene that initiates testicular development and is used here as an objective biomarker for biological sex.
- Differences of Sex Development (DSD) – A spectrum of congenital conditions that alter typical sexual development.
- Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) – A condition where individuals with XY chromosomes lack functional androgen receptors, resulting in a female phenotype.
- Gender‑Diverse Athlete Working Group – A multi‑disciplinary council that formulated the recommendations influencing the 2025 mandate.
- Pre‑clearance Requirement – A compulsory assessment that verifies an athlete’s compliance with the SRY‑gene eligibility criterion.