The International Olympic Committee (IOC) made a huge announcement Thursday: going forward, biological males will be banned from competing in women’s categories at the Olympics, and all athletes who wish to compete as women will have to pass a SRY gene screening.
The SRY gene is located on the Y chromosome and is found in biological males. The IOC said in its announcement that it “considers that the presence of the SRY gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced male sex development.” Athletes who want to compete in women’s events will have to undergo “once-in-a-lifetime” testing for the SRY gene via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample.
“The policy was developed on the basis that it is universally accepted that providing for a female category is necessary to allow both males and females equal access to elite sport,” the IOC said in an announcement.
“It was guided by the IOC’s modern goals relating to equality (equal opportunities for female athletes in finals, on podiums and in championships); enhancing Olympic value (featuring both women’s and men’s finals in every sport); and visibility and inspiration (celebrating female athletes on the Olympic podium to inspire and represent women and girls worldwide).”