World Athletics gives go ahead for test to determine athletes’ gender

25 Mar 2025 • 8:49 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • World Athletics will implement cheek swab tests to determine athletes' biological sex, focusing on the SRY gene and testosterone levels.
  • This decision aims to "protect the female category" in sports, according to World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.
  • The move follows new evidence suggesting that testosterone suppression in DSD and transgender athletes only partially mitigates the male advantage in athletics.
  • A performance gap exists between sexes even before puberty, further supporting the need for this testing.
  • While there's no official launch date, World Athletics aims to have the testing in place for the World Championships in Tokyo this September.

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