The International Olympic Committee has announced that all female athletes wishing to compete in the Olympic Games from 2028 onwards will be required to undergo screening for the SRY gene. The SRY gene is found on the Y chromosome and screening for it is essentially the same as screening for the Y chromosome itself. Athletes with a positive result will not be considered biological females and will not be allowed to compete in women’s Olympic sports.
The IOC considers this screening less intrusive than other methods to verify biological gender, and samples can be collected via saliva, a cheek swab or by drawing blood. The test will have life-time validity, meaning each athlete will only need to pass it once. Results will not be retroactive, meaning that a positive result will not effect results from previous competitions. The test is also not planned in developmental and recreational programs below the Olympic level.
This is the latest step in efforts to ensure women’s access to elite competition. Presence of the male hormone testosterone is considered such a significant advantage in any sport that involves power, strength and endurance that it is a banned performance-enhancing drug. For this reason the IOC intends to prevent athletes that are not biologically female from taking part in women’s sports. The only possible exception may be athletes with complete insensitivity to male hormones or sexual development disorders.