WTA adopts SRY gene testing to protect fair competition in women’s professional tennis

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has just become the latest sports organization to require players to take a genetic test to establish their eligibility to compete in the women’s category.

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The WTA’s updated women’s eligibility policy requires players to undergo a one-time screening for the SRY gene, which is found on the Y chromosome and is involved in male-typical sex development. Testing can be completed through a simple cheek swab, blood test or saliva sample.

Players who test negative for the SRY gene will be immediately eligible to compete on the WTA Tour. A positive result will prompt further medical assessment before a player can be cleared.

Players must also sign documentation acknowledging that refusing to undergo testing could result in disciplinary action.

“The WTA’s women’s eligibility policy is designed to promote equal athletic opportunities in women’s professional tennis and maintain fair competition for all players participating in WTA tournaments,” the official policy states.

The WTA said the policy was approved following consultation with its members and a review of evolving eligibility standards throughout international women’s sports.

The previous policy, last updated in 2024, permitted transgender-identifying males to compete with women if they maintained testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for at least two years. There are no known males currently competing on the WTA Tour.

“The WTA recognises that this is a sensitive and complex issue and is committed to treating all players with dignity and implementing the policy in a respectful and thoughtful way,” the governing body said.

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The WTA joins a growing number of athletic organizations, including World Athletics and World Boxing, in implementing mandatory SRY gene testing for athletes seeking to compete in the women’s category.

The International Olympic Committee has also announced plans to use sex testing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova praised the WTA’s decision as a “step in the right direction” on Sunday.

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“I played no part in this particular policy, but 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,” Navratilova wrote on X.

The new policy goes into effect on Tuesday.