World Athletics has approved the introduction of a cheek swab test to determine if an athlete is biologically female.
Those wishing to compete in women’s competitions will need to complete the “pre-clearance requirement” once in their career.
While no timeline has been officially confirmed, the Press Association reports that World Athletics aims to implement the test in time for the World Championships in Tokyo this September.
Stricter regulations for eligibility
The move is among several recommendations approved at the World Athletics Council meeting to tighten regulations over the eligibility of transgender and Difference of Sex Development (DSD) athletes.
Coe defends new policy
Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, emphasised the importance of the test, calling it a “really important” step in protecting the female category.
“It’s important to do it because it maintains everything that we’ve been talking about, and particularly recently, about not just talking about the integrity of women’s sport, but actually guaranteeing it,” Coe said during a press conference following the Council’s two-day meeting in Nanjing, China, after the World Indoor Championships.
“We feel this is a really important way of providing confidence and maintaining that absolute focus on the integrity of competition,” he added.
Implementation timeline still uncertain
World Athletics has not set a fixed date for introducing the test, but it is expected to be in place for the outdoor World Championships in Tokyo this September.
Legal and ethical considerations
Coe stated that the decision to introduce swab testing followed extensive consultations.
“Overwhelmingly, the view has come back that this is absolutely the way to go,” Coe said, adding that the swab test was not considered overly intrusive.
He expressed confidence that the policy could withstand legal challenges but acknowledged the potential for disputes.
“I would never have set off down this path to protect the female category in sport if I’d been anything other than prepared to take the challenge head-on. We’ve been to the Court of Arbitration on our DSD regulations. They have been upheld and upheld again after appeal. So we will doggedly protect the female category, and we’ll do whatever is necessary to do it. And we’re not just talking about it.”
