World Athletics introduces new rules on female eligibility

Global athletics body World Athletics has proposed a raft of recommendations intended to tighten the grip on eligibility of transgender and differences of sex development (DSD) athletes in the sport.

The recommendations stem from a Working Group on Gender Diverse Athletes, which was charged with keeping abreast of developments in law, science, sports and society regarding gender diverse athletes.

Among the major takeaways from their study passed to the World Athletics Council, was that new evidence clarified there is "already an athletically significant performance gap on gender diverse athletes before the onset of puberty."

On the basis of that, World Athletics has now proposed for a merger of athlete regulations for both Transgender and DSD athletes saying: "This recommendation proposes that in its eligibility rules for the Female Category, World Athletics treat alike all androgen-sensitive XY athletes."

Research conducted indicated that the childhood or pre-pubertal performance gap in the sport of Athletics is 3 to 5% in running events, and higher in throwing and jumping events.

Previous - and current - World Athletics rules on eligibility exclude transgender women who have experienced male puberty, while the DSD Regulations provide that XY DSD athletes with the same experience are included.

In another significant recommendation, World Athletics proposed the adoption of a pre-clearance requirement for all athletes competing in the Female Category.

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This follows the reception of new evidence that clarified that testosterone suppression in 46XY DSD and 46XY transgender individuals could "only ever partly mitigate the overall male advantage in the sport of Athletics."

As a result, World Athletics now asks for female athletes to provide evidence of eligibility by doing the recommended cheek swab, or dry blood spot analysis.

"The required test will be for the SRY gene and, if required, testosterone levels," the recommendation read.

It is noted that the test would be provided by every athlete who wishes to compete in the Female Category at elite level once in their career.

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The swab test stems from an October 2024 proposal by a UN General Assembly Special Rapporteur, who recommended a “dignified, swift, non-invasive and accurate sex screening method for exceptional reasons - genetic testing”.

Having been approved by the World Athletics Council, the Working Group’s recommendations will now go through stakeholder consultation between 10 February and 5 March.