World Athletics seeks response on proposed pre-clearance requirement for Female Category

World Athletics has launched a four-week stakeholder consultation after its Council approved recommendations of a Working Group on Gender Diverse Athletes. It proposes to adopt a pre-clearance requirement for all athletes competing in the Female Category and a merger of DSD and Transgender Regulations that are in force now.

The preclearance requirement will need World Athletics to have on file the athlete’s genetic and hormonal status. It has now suggested a cheek swab to provide genetic information and a dry blood spot test as a follow-up in rare cases since it provides both genetic and hormone status of an athlete. 

If the effect of these recommendations is to restrict opportunities for DSD athletes, it seeks measures to address the reasonable reliance interests of those who are currently in the pipeline. World Athletics has invited representatives of the relevant stakeholders to respond to seven questions that have been drawn up on the basis of the five suggestions  by the Working Group. 

World Athletics, known as International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) earlier, has always been in the forefront of the movement to protect and promote the Female Category by seeking to offer them a level playing field. Its Hyperandrogenism policy caused a furore in 2014 with Indian sprinter Dutee Chand moving Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Nearly 75 years ago, the Soviet Bloc nations could be sending male athletes disguised as females to sweep the medals in the women’s events. Of course, things have come a long way from the 1960s when sport needed all women competitors parade naked before a panel of doctors to prevent imposters from taking undue advantage in female competition.

Then in 1968, a Chromosome test was introduced as a way of identifying males potentially disguised as females It was later abolished as it was an inconclusive way of identifying maleness. In 1992, IAAF did away with all gender testing. On its part, the International Olympic Committee also did away with gender screening of females in June 1999.

The seven questions now being circulated by World Athletics to the stakeholders are: 

• How will the new eligibility conditions impact you or the interests of athletes with whom you are affiliated? We want to learn about both positive and negative impacts from all consultees. 
• Are there ways to minimise or remedy the adverse impacts of the new eligibility conditions, such as approaches to addressing reasonable reliance interests or the type of support that could be offered as Athletes go through the testing and compliance processes? 
• For the preclearance requirement, which requires that World Athletics have on file both the athlete’s genetic and hormonal status, please share whether you have a preference between  the cheek swab and a dry blood spot test. The cheek swab would provide genetic information but not hormonal status and so would require follow-up in rare cases where the athlete is SRY positive. Dry blood spot tests can provide both genetic and hormone status. 
• What is your sense of the public’s understanding of the reasons athletes are divided in competition by sex? 
• How can World Athletics best educate the public about its biological sex-exclusive design for the Female Category? 
• Is there anything not mentioned in recommendations that the organisation can do to support transgender and DSD Athletes? 
• Are there other athlete populations – in addition to gender diverse athletes –  that World Athletics should consider as it contemplates its programming? 

The Working Group recommended that World Athletics formally affirm the design of and goals for the Female Category. Then, it recommended that World Athletics revise the eligibility regulations so that they are consistent with the design and goals. Finally, it advocated that forward initiatives, including to support elite gender diverse XY Athletes, be considered. 

In December last year, World Athletics Council approved the five recommendations and has now sought stakeholder consultation to ensure being thorough and considered about the implications of any such developments for its programming, eligibility rules, and educational initiatives as the organisation upholds its core commitments to its elite global community. 

World Athletics reiterated that any new DSD and TG Regulations will be implemented with its standing commitments – not judging or questioning gender identity; respecting and preserving the dignity and privacy of individuals; strictly observing confidentiality obligations and complying with data protection laws; and never imposing any obligation to undergo surgery.