Seb Coe: Why Shocking Rules on Gender Eligibility Matter Ahead of World Championship in Tokyo

World Athletics president Lord Coe has made it clear that athletes are behind the governing body’s controversial new gene test, which will be required for female category eligibility in world ranking competitions.

The one-time screening looks for the SRY gene, part of the Y chromosome responsible for developing male characteristics.

The test, approved in March, can be administered through a cheek swab or blood test, with results determining eligibility to compete in the women’s category.

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It will come into effect on 1 September, ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo beginning 13 September.

Coe said he expects more than 90% of female athletes set to compete in Japan to have been tested before arrival, with the remainder completing the process in pre-competition holding camps.

“The athletes are overwhelmingly supportive of this, and have been very, very helpful in all this,” Coe said in an interview with BBC.

“The member federations have been very supportive and we needed to establish the most effective test, the test that was the most non-invasive, the one we could carry out.”

He admitted that implementing the test was not without its logistical challenges but stressed the importance of ensuring fairness in women’s sport.

“It wasn’t without its challenges, but there will be athletes that will be tested even in their holding camps in Tokyo,” he said.

The test is part of a wider tightening of eligibility rules surrounding transgender and difference of sex development (DSD) athletes.

In March 2023, World Athletics introduced a ban on transgender athletes who had gone through male puberty from competing in female categories internationally.

A working group subsequently recommended merging the regulations for DSD and transgender athletes, citing evidence that testosterone suppression “can only ever partly mitigate the overall male advantage in the sport of athletics.”

Current rules stipulate that DSD athletes must reduce testosterone levels to a set threshold for at least six months to qualify for female competition.

Beyond eligibility rules, Coe also addressed concerns surrounding the financial struggles of the newly launched Grand Slam Track competition spearheaded by four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson.

The league, which debuted in 2025, promised lucrative incentives with winners set to receive up to $100,000 and contracted athletes earning salaries.

However, missed payments have plagued the competition, leading to the cancellation of its final event in June.

Johnson confirmed that unless athletes receive the money owed, the competition will not return in 2026.

“You’ve got to have the finance in place. That’s absolutely critical,” Coe said.

“I know Michael, and this is probably sitting badly with him. I absolutely accept that, and I’m sure he’s doing everything he possibly can to make sure the athletes get what they’ve been promised.”

Coe emphasized that while innovation in athletics is vital, financial security must underpin any new venture.

The fate of Johnson’s Grand Slam Track now hangs in the balance as athletes await overdue payments.