World Athletics has sanctioned the implementation of a one-time genetic screening for elite athletes seeking to compete in the women’s category at international competitions.

The newly established "pre-clearance requirement" is part of a set of stricter policies ratified at the World Athletics Council meeting, aimed at refining eligibility criteria for transgender and difference of sex development (DSD) athletes.

The test will focus on detecting the SRY gene, which is typically found on the male Y chromosome and serves as a reliable indicator of biological sex. Athletes will only need to undergo this test once during their careers. Samples will be collected through a simple cheek swab, while a dried blood spot test may also be conducted to assess testosterone levels alongside the presence of the SRY gene.

World Athletics president Lord Coe reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of women’s sports, emphasizing that this decision underscores their unwavering stance on maintaining fairness in competition.

Back in March 2023, World Athletics implemented a ban on transgender athletes who had undergone male puberty from competing in female categories at international events. However, recent recommendations from a working group suggested revising these rules, citing new evidence that indicates a "significant performance gap" before puberty begins.

Current regulations require DSD athletes to lower their testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for a minimum of six months to be eligible for female competitions. Moving forward, World Athletics will consolidate its policies for transgender and DSD athletes, acknowledging findings that testosterone suppression only partially mitigates male physiological advantages in athletics.

The details regarding the test provider, procedural framework, and rollout timeline are expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.

Lord Coe has made protecting female competition a central theme of his leadership and his bid for International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidency. However, his campaign fell short earlier this month, with Kirsty Coventry securing the position as the first female and African president, receiving 49 out of 97 votes.

Speaking on Tuesday, Coe reiterated the necessity of the new regulations, stating:

"Ensuring the integrity of women’s sports isn’t just a conversation—it’s an obligation. This initiative is a critical step in reinforcing trust and fairness in competition."

Additionally, during their meeting in China this week, the World Athletics Council upheld existing sanctions against Russian and Belarusian athletes. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, competitors from these nations have been barred from World Athletics events, even under a neutral flag.

Russia has been under a separate suspension since 2015 due to state-sponsored doping, which was lifted in March 2023. However, the country remains banned from competition due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

World Athletics stated that the current sanctions will remain unchanged unless the situation worsens or a peace agreement is reached. The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) continues to monitor Russian and Belarusian athletes as part of its International Testing Pool in anticipation of future resolutions.