By Victor Kanayo
World Athletics is currently consulting on an updated set of regulations for transgender and Difference of Sex Development (DSD) athletes, with a cheek swab test among several proposals being considered.
This was disclosed by the global athletics governing body in a statement.
Part of the statement reads: “New evidence clarifies that there is already an athletically significant performance gap before the onset of puberty.
“The childhood or pre-pubertal performance gap in the sport of athletics specifically is three to five per cent in running events, and higher in throwing and jumping events.
“New evidence establishes that athletic disadvantages associated with female body structure and physiology contribute to the performance gap.”
In 2023, track and field’s global governing body voted to ban transgender women who have gone through male puberty from competing in women’s events and announced the formation of a working group to further study the issue of trans inclusion.
In findings announced by the working group, it stated that basing the regulations solely on whether an athlete had gone through male puberty was inadequate.
The working group laid out five recommendations, including formally affirming the design of the female category, revising eligibility regulations, and adopting a pre-clearance requirement for all athletes competing in the category.
It also suggested placing female DSD athletes such as double Olympic 800-metre champion Caster Semenya—under the same set of rules as transgender athletes.
Under World Athletics’ current rules, female DSD athletes must lower their testosterone levels to below 2.5 nmol/L for at least six months to compete. This can be achieved medically or surgically.
The working group recommended using a sex screening method, such as a cheek swab or dry blood spot analysis, for athletes wishing to compete in the elite female category. This would test for the male-determining SRY gene.
The consultation period for the working group’s proposal began on Monday and will continue until 5 March 2025.
Recently, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive bill banning transgender women from competing in the country.
