New Olympic Policy Requires Genetic Testing for Olympic Competition

All athletes will need to submit to genetic testing to participate in Olympic action, under a new policy announced by the International Olympic Committee.

The IOC Executive Board approved a policy that requires athletes to screen for the presence of the SRY gene in order to participate in the games. The presence of the SRY gene disqualifies an athlete from participating in the women’s sports category, effectively restricting women’s sports to biologically female athletes. The testing policy will be effective for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and will be in effect for future years.

Noting the advantages that biological males have over biological females in terms of athletic competition, the IOC’s working group on the protection of the female category recommended that the policy be enacted for fairness and safety reasons.

“As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition,” shared IOC President Kirsty Coventray in a statement. “The policy that we have announced is based on science and has been led by medical experts. At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”

Coventry, a two-time Olympian who won three medals for swimming including gold in the 2004 Olympics, has been an advocate for the protection of the female category. Coventry emphasized this in her campaign platform for election to the office and quickly established the working group after taking office in June 2025.

The IOC emphasized in its statement that the testing is a once-per-lifetime test that will be conducted through nonintrusive methods, such as saliva testing, cheek swabs, or blood samples. It also indicated that the presence of the SRY gene is sufficient evidence that the athlete biologically developed as a male.

Coventry was adamant that the policy does not exclude any athlete from participating, but the policy makes sure they are participating in the correct category of sporting discipline.

““Every athlete must be treated with dignity and respect,” she said, “and athletes will need to be screened only once in their lifetime. There must be clear education around the process and counseling available, alongside expert medical advice.”