The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has introduced a new policy requiring players to undergo sex screening to verify their eligibility to compete in the women's category. This measure, effective immediately, mandates that players must be tested for the SRY gene, a key indicator in male sex development.
The updated regulations move away from the previous policy, which allowed biological males to compete if their testosterone levels remained below a specified threshold. Under the new rules, players must pass the SRY gene test to be eligible for the female-only WTA Tour. A positive test will trigger further medical assessments to determine eligibility.
Players will be required to sign documentation acknowledging that refusal to undergo testing could lead to disciplinary action. The testing itself can be conducted through a cheek swab, blood test, or saliva sample.
Tennis icon Martina Navratilova expressed support for the WTA's decision, calling it a "step in the right direction." She stated on X, "I am very happy that we at the WTA are clear that we are a women's association and only women, as in females, can compete at the highest level of women's tennis."
The WTA's policy aims "to promote equal athletic opportunities in women's professional tennis and maintain fair competition for all players." The organization also acknowledged the sensitive nature of the issue, committing to treating all players with dignity and implementing the policy respectfully.
Other sports organizations have recently adopted similar measures. World Boxing and World Athletics have implemented comparable testing for athletes seeking to compete in women's events. Additionally, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that sex testing will be conducted for athletes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
