Deborah Akinyosoye
Nigeria’s sprint hurdler and world record holder Tobi Amusan will be among female athletes required to undergo a mandatory genetic gender test under new regulations introduced by World Athletics ahead of the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
According to the updated eligibility rules released by the global body, every athlete competing in the female category must, starting from September 1, 2025, complete a one-time genetic test to confirm their biological sex.
The test, aimed at detecting the presence of the SRY gene typically found on the Y chromosome, will be conducted via cheek swab or blood sample.
World Athletics President, Sebastian Coe, defended the new policy, insisting it is necessary to maintain fairness in women’s sports.
“We are saying, at elite level, for you to compete in the female category, you have to be biologically female. It was always very clear to me and the World Athletics Council that gender cannot trump biology,” Coe said.
“We particularly want to thank our Member Federations for their support and commitment in the implementation of these new regulations.”
The rule stems from the work of the Gender Diverse Athlete Working Group and consolidates existing regulations on transgender and DSD (Differences of Sex Development) athletes into a uniform requirement for all female competitors.
Amusan, the 2022 world champion and current 100m hurdles world record holder, is preparing to defend her national title at the Nigerian Championships in Lagos from August 1–3 as part of her build-up to the Tokyo event beginning September 13.