The Worldwide Organization for Women (WOW) celebrates the World Athletics Council’s historic announcement that, beginning September 1, 2025, all athletes competing in the female categories of the World Championships must undergo a “once-in-a-lifetime” SRY gene test to determine biological sex.
“This is a vital step toward preserving the integrity of women’s sports worldwide,” said Nicholeen Peck, president of WOW. “For decades, women have fought to ensure fair opportunities to compete, excel, and be recognized in athletics. World Athletics’ decision affirms the importance of protecting that space for biological women.”
The SRY gene, found on the Y chromosome, triggers the development of male reproductive organs. Testing will be conducted via cheek swab or blood test under the supervision of Member Federations as athletes prepare for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe emphasized the reasoning behind the move: “The philosophy that we hold dear in World Athletics is the protection and the promotion of the integrity of women’s sport. It is really important in a sport that is permanently trying to attract more women that they enter a sport believing there is no biological glass ceiling. The test to confirm biological sex is a very important step in ensuring this is the case.”
WOW has long advocated for policies that ensure fairness and safety in women’s athletics, supporting measures that recognize biological differences while respecting human dignity. “We applaud World Athletics for standing firmly for women,” said Peck. “As Sebastian Coe stated, gender cannot trump biology. This policy sends a clear message: protecting women’s opportunities is not discrimination; it’s justice.”
The new regulation will take effect just before the World Championships begin on September 13, 2025, and WOW encourages other international sports organizations, including the Olympics, to adopt similar policies to preserve fairness in female competition globally.
