KINGSTON, JAMAICA – In a significant development for sports governance and athlete eligibility, Jamaican female athletes who are candidates for the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo are undergoing genetic testing starting this week. The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) is implementing this new measure in direct response to the stringent genetic testing regime recently announced by World Athletics, the global governing body for track and field. This directive is set to profoundly impact the landscape of international female competition, aiming to uphold the integrity of the female category in news that has garnered global attention.
World Athletics’ New Eligibility Standard
The mandate from World Athletics, which officially came into effect on September 1, 2025, requires all athletes competing in the female category for world ranking competitions to undergo a one-time SRY gene test. The SRY gene, typically found on the Y chromosome, is utilized as a key determinant of biological sex. Under these regulations, only athletes who test negative for the SRY gene – indicating the absence of the Y chromosome – will be deemed eligible to compete in the female category. The World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, are scheduled to commence on September 13, making compliance with these new rules an immediate priority for national federations like the JAAA.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has articulated the organization’s firm stance on the matter, stating that the core philosophy is the “protection and the promotion of the integrity of women’s sport.” Coe emphasized that the intent is to ensure female athletes enter the sport believing there is no “biological glass ceiling” and that “gender cannot trump biology” at the elite level. The new regulations also build upon existing rules concerning Differences of Sex Development (DSD) athletes, which now require relevant athletes to maintain testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for a minimum of 24 months to compete internationally in any event, a significant expansion from previous restrictions that targeted specific distances.
Local Implementation in Jamaica
The JAAA has swiftly moved to operationalize these new international requirements for its athletes. Female national representatives returning from the NACAC Championships, who are vying for a spot on the World Championships team, are among the first to undergo the testing. For athletes based in Jamaica, the genetic testing can be completed at the Caribbean Genetics Clinic, located at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus in Kingston. Overseas-based athletes are also required to arrange their testing at a reputable clinic in their respective locations, ensuring timely submission of results. All test results must be submitted by Monday, September 1, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., coinciding with the final entry deadline for the World Championships.
The JAAA has acknowledged the introduction of the SRY gene test, confirming its role in ensuring that only biological females compete in the female category. The test is a once-in-a-lifetime procedure, administered via a simple cheek swab or blood test, offering athletes a choice for convenience.
A History of Debate and Human Rights Concerns
This latest update from World Athletics is part of a long-standing and often controversial effort to regulate eligibility in women’s sports, rooted in the belief that naturally high testosterone levels in some athletes, particularly those with DSDs, confer an unfair competitive advantage. Over the years, eligibility criteria have evolved from basic physical examinations to complex testosterone-based restrictions, and now to DNA-based verification.
Cases like that of South African Olympian Caster Semenya, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 800m, have brought these regulations into sharp focus. Semenya has consistently challenged the DSD rules, arguing they are discriminatory and infringe upon human rights. While courts have largely upheld World Athletics’ right to set such rules to ensure fair competition, the ethical and human rights implications, particularly regarding personal bodily integrity and the imposition of a singular definition of womanhood, remain subjects of intense debate. Critics argue that such rigid genetic criteria may not account for the natural diversity of human biology and can disproportionately affect athletes from non-Western regions.
Implications for the Future of Athletics
The implementation of SRY gene testing marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing conversation about fairness and inclusion in elite female athletics. While World Athletics asserts that these measures are crucial for preserving the integrity of competition and providing a level playing field, the long-term impact on athletes and the broader sports community is still unfolding. The JAAA’s proactive approach ensures its athletes comply with international standards, but the underlying global debate about biological sex, gender identity, and human rights in news and sports will undoubtedly continue to evolve.