Sports News

World Athletics to Require Genetic Test for Female Competition Eligibility

Athletes will be tested for the SRY gene, a marker for male sex, via a cheek swab or blood sample.
World Athletics to Require Genetic Test for Female Competition Eligibility
Runners compete in the women's mile event at the 117th Millrose Games at The Armory track and field center in New York City on Feb. 8, 2025. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images
Haika Mrema
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World Athletics announced a new regulation on July 30 that will require athletes to undergo a one-time genetic test to be eligible to compete in the female category at its world-ranking events in racing and track and field.

The policy, which takes effect Sept. 1, mandates testing for the SRY gene, a key marker located on the Y chromosome that determines male sex in humans and most mammals.
Haika Mrema
Haika Mrema
Author
Haika Mrema is a freelance entertainment reporter for The Epoch Times. She is an experienced writer and has covered entertainment and higher-education content for platforms such as Campus Reform and Media Research Center. She holds a B.B.A. from Baylor University where she majored in marketing.