World Athletics has initiated a new consultation process to review its eligibility rules for the female category, including regulations for transgender and Differences in Sexual Development (DSD) athletes. The consultation period, which runs until 5 March 2025, was recommended by the Working Group on Gender-Diverse Athletes and approved by the World Athletics Council.
The governing body stated that this review aims to ensure its policies keep pace with scientific, legal, and social developments, particularly in relation to the competitive balance in elite women’s sports.
The Working Group on Gender-Diverse Athletes, established in 2023, has been tasked with continuously evaluating new data on athletic performance differences linked to sex characteristics. Recent findings indicate that performance disparities exist even before puberty, with male-bodied athletes showing a 3-5% advantage in running events and a greater edge in throwing and jumping disciplines.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe emphasized that this review is crucial to maintaining fairness:
"Preserving the integrity of competition in the Female Category is a fundamental principle of the sport of Athletics. While our current eligibility rules are based on available science, new developments require us to reassess and refine these policies."
🔹 Clarify the definition and goals of the Female Category
🔹 Revise eligibility regulations to align with this framework
🔹 Merge the DSD and transgender regulations while addressing the impact on athletes already in the pipeline
🔹 Introduce a pre-approval process for all athletes competing in the Female Category
🔹 Explore further initiatives to support gender-diverse elite athletes with XY chromosomes
Additionally, the Working Group suggested that DSD athletes, such as Caster Semenya, should be subject to the same eligibility requirements as transgender women. Under the current rules, DSD athletes must lower their testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for at least six months to compete in female events.
A new screening process for female elite athletes is also under consideration. This would involve a buccal swab test or dried blood spot analysis to detect the SRY gene, which determines male sex.
According to World Athletics, these regulations are not meant to question gender identity, but rather to uphold the principles of fair competition while ensuring privacy and dignity for all athletes.
This policy review comes as Sebastian Coe campaigns for the presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), making the protection of women’s sport a core element of his platform. His stance on transgender inclusion has already sparked debate within the Olympic movement.
Meanwhile, gender eligibility policies remain a controversial issue in other sports as well. The International Boxing Association (IBA) recently announced legal action against the IOC over its handling of gender eligibility cases in women’s boxing.
With the consultation process now open, stakeholders—including athletes, medical experts, and legal representatives—will weigh in on the proposed changes before World Athletics finalizes its policies later in 2025.
Full consultation document - read here.
(Sources: Gustavo Muñana, Inside the Games; World Athletics; Sebastien Coe; IBA)