Tennis body urged to reconsider gender-testing policy for female players

The WTA introduced the policy last month, requiring players to undergo a one-time genetic screening for the SRY gene, which is associated with biological sex determination. The test can be conducted through a cheek swab or blood sample and is required for eligibility to.

The move represents a major shift from the WTA’s previous policy, under which transgender women could compete after declaring their gender as female and maintaining testosterone levels below the prescribed threshold for two years. Reuters reported in July that there were no known transgender.

What Happened

Andrea Florence, executive director of the Sport & Rights Alliance, said the WTA’s intentions could not remove the potential harm caused by sex testing. The policy has divided opinion among leading players.

• The WTA has said its screening will be accompanied by confidentiality and data-privacy safeguards.

• The controversy follows the International Olympic Committee’s March decision that biological female athletes must have their sex determined through a one-time test to compete in women’s events at the Olympics.

• Coco Gauff, meanwhile, said she understood the reasoning behind protecting fairness in women’s sport but was concerned the policy could create hostility towards the transgender community.

Key Details

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka has publicly backed the move, arguing that biological differences make separate categories important for competitive fairness.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by India Today as more details emerge