World Athletics to introduce mandatory sex testing for female competitions
World Athletics will introduce mandatory testing for anyone entering female competitions to verify their biological sex, insisting they are necessary to protect women's sport.
It is the latest move overseen by Sebastian Coe - as president of the governing body - to address the gender eligibility issue, two years after banning anyone assigned male at birth from female events.
Lord Coe said after a World Athletics Council meeting today that they could adopt non-invasive cheek swab tests or dry blood tests that only have to be carried out once on an athlete.
"This we feel is a really important way of providing confidence and maintaining that absolute focus on the integrity of competition," he said.
The tests would seek to verify if someone has transitioned to a female after going through male puberty or if they had differences of sex development that provided testosterone advantages.
The tests would seek to verify if someone has transitioned to a female after going through male puberty or if they had differences of sex development that provided testosterone advantages.
Testing providers are now being sought.
Lord Coe said: "The pre-clearance testing will be for athletes to be able to compete in the female category.
"The process is very straightforward frankly, very clear and it's an important one and we will work on the timelines.
"Neither of these are invasive. They are necessary and they will be done to absolute medical standards."
It follows US President Donald Trump ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics saying there are only two sexes - male and female - while calling on sports to ban transgender women from women's events.
The International Olympic Committee has previously called a return to sex testing a "bad idea", but incoming IOC President Kirsty Coventry is not ruling it out, having also talked about protecting the female category.
"This is a conversation that's happened and the international federations have taken a far greater lead in this conversation," she told Sky News after her election last week.
"What I was proposing is to bring a group together with the international federations and really understand each sport is slightly different.
"We know in equestrian, sex is really not an issue, but in other sports it is.
"So what I'd like to do again is bring the international federations together and sit down and try and come up with a collective way forward for all of us to move."
Reem Alsalem, the UN's special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, last year called on the IOC to reintroduce sex testing or female athletes to protect them from injuries amid concerns about eligibility.
The IOC introduced "certificates of femininity" at the 1968 Mexico Games. But those chromosome-based tests were deemed unscientific and unethical and dropped ahead of Sydney 2000.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Murray open to coaching return 'at some stage'
Andy Murray is open to a return to coaching "at some stage" but says he still has plenty to learn about the role. The 38-year-old, who retired from tennis at the 2024 Olympics, joined long-time rival Novak Djokovic's coaching team last November. Advertisement However, the pair parted company in May 2025 after just four tournaments together, with former number one Djokovic stating he "couldn't get more" out of their partnership. Murray was positive about the six months he and Djokovic spent together, hailing the "unique" experience of working with "one of the best athletes of all time", while also stating he had not planned on making the transition into coaching quite so soon after hanging up his racquet. "I would do it again at some stage. I don't think that will happen immediately," he told BBC Sport's Clare Balding at the unveiling of the Andy Murray Arena at the Queen's Club on Monday. "I wasn't planning on going into coaching as soon as I finished playing but it was a pretty unique opportunity. It was a chance to learn from one of the best athletes of all time. Advertisement "You also learn a lot about how to work with a team. As an individual athlete, you have a team of people around you, but you're the focal point whereas when you're coaching an individual, you're working with a physio, physical trainers, agents, and you need to know how to get your message across to the player and find out what makes them tick. That was the thing I learned and something I need to work on if I want to do it again in the future. "It was a brilliant opportunity for me. We got to spend some really nice moments away from the court. Results weren't as we wanted but we gave it a go. "We'll see about coaching in the future but I don't think that will happen for a while." Murray coached Novak Djokovic at the 2025 Australian Open and three other tournaments [Getty Images] 'Men's tennis is in a great place' While the jam-packed nature of tennis' schedule means focus has already shifted to the grass-court swing, this year's men's singles final at Roland Garros will be remembered as one of the all-time greats. Advertisement Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz recovered from two sets down and saved three championship points to beat world number one Jannik Sinner after five hours and 29 minutes – the longest French Open final in history. The pair, who occupy the top two spots in the ATP rankings, have now shared the past six major titles between them and Sunday's final – their first meeting in a Grand Slam trophy match – confirmed the arrival of a new blockbuster rivalry in men's tennis. Murray believes Sunday's final is confirmation the sport is in a "great place" and tipped Britain's Jack Draper, ranked fourth in the world, to be part of the success. "They're both brilliant athletes and very different personalities, which I think for fans is really exciting," Murray said. Advertisement "For me, particularly Alcaraz has an exciting brand of tennis to watch, and they complement each other well. They've already had some brilliant matches and from what I've been told, it was one of the best finals for a long time." "Moving forward, men's tennis is in a great place. People always worry at the end of a generation of players what's going to happen with the sport next, but generally sports continue to evolve and, in most cases, improve. "Jack [Draper]'s right in the mix just now and doing extremely well. He's going to give himself opportunities to win majors over the next five, 10 years." However, while heaping praise on the next generation, Murray was keen to emphasise that Alcaraz and Sinner have a long way to go to match the 20 years of dominance achieved by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. Advertisement "The sport's in a really good place but it's important not to forget what the guys have done before them, what Roger, Rafa and Novak have done," he added. "Winning 20-plus majors is something exceptional and it's easy in today's age to forget a little bit about that. I saw some pundits saying if [Alcaraz and Sinner] went on court against Rafa at the French Open, they would be favourites going into that match with Rafa in his prime. "Alcaraz and Sinner are on the path to being two of the best, no doubt about that, but it takes time to build what Roger, Rafa, and Novak had. We'll see whether they get that." 'Queen's is always special for me' Murray won the last of his five Queen's singles titles in 2016 [Getty Images] Murray is synonymous with Queen's. The Scot is the most successful player in the tournament's history, winning a record five men's singles titles between 2009 and 2016. He also won the men's doubles with Feliciano Lopez in 2019. Advertisement From this year, however, his name will not just adorn the honour's board but also the centre court at Queen's Club, which has been renamed the Andy Murray Arena. "It's pretty surreal," he said. "A number of tennis courts around the world are named after great players. It's a bit strange to have a court named after you. "I have a lot of amazing memories at this place and on that court. It's by far my most successful tournament that I competed in. "I won my first ATP match here. I didn't dream of winning Wimbledon or being world number one, I just wanted to be a professional tennis player and play on the ATP tour. Moments like that, you remember; it was a special moment for me. Advertisement "Winning the tournament feels great and winning major events is the pinnacle of the sport but that wasn't my dream growing up. You remember moments like the place where you won your first tour match and that's why Queen's is always special to me." This grass-court season marks the return of women's tennis to Queen's for the first time in 52 years, with singles and doubles events taking place from 9 to 15 June before the men take to the courts the following week (16-22 June). "Having women's tennis back at Queen's for the first time in over 50 years is brilliant," Murray said. "I hope the event gets well attended. They've got a brilliant field – I think 10 of the top 20 women are here. There'll be some brilliant matches and I always look forward to the grass season." Advertisement
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump's new travel ban: Which countries are on the list? Who's exempt? How are people reacting?
President Trump's sweeping new travel ban went into effect on Monday, barring citizens of 12 countries from visiting the United States and imposing restrictions on those from seven others. In a video message last week announcing the ban, Trump cited national security concerns, claiming that foreigners who were not properly vetted posed a terror risk. "We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States,' Trump said. The president also cited the recent attack in Boulder, Colo., by a man who allegedly shouted 'Free Palestine' and threw Molotov cocktails into a crowd of people calling for the release of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas. 'The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colo., has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstay their visas,' Trump said. 'We don't want them.' The suspect, identified as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was arrested and charged with a hate crime. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Soliman is from Egypt and had overstayed a tourist visa. Egypt is not among the countries included in Trump's new travel ban. The ban, which went into effect Monday at 12:01 a.m. ET, prohibits foreign nationals from the following countries from entering the U.S.: Afghanistan Chad Republic of Congo Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Haiti Iran Libya Myanmar (Burma) Somalia Sudan Yemen It imposes partial restrictions on foreign nationals from the following countries: Burundi Cuba Laos Sierra Leone Togo Turkmenistan Venezuela There are numerous groups of people who are exempt from Trump's new travel ban. They include: Any lawful permanent resident of the United States. Dual citizens, or U.S. citizens who also have citizenship of one of the banned countries. Athletes and their coaches traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup, Olympics or other major sporting events determined by the U.S. secretary of state. Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders who worked for the U.S. government or its allies during the war in Afghanistan. Children adopted by U.S. citizens. Diplomats and foreign government officials or representatives of international organizations and NATO on official visits. Foreign national employees of the U.S. government who have served abroad for at least 15 years, their spouses and children. Individuals with U.S. family members who apply for visas in connection to their spouses, children or parents. Iranians belonging to an ethnic or religious minority who are fleeing prosecution. Refugees who were granted asylum or admitted to the U.S. before the ban. Those traveling to the United Nations headquarters in New York solely on official business. The announcement angered humanitarian groups working to resettle refugees. 'President Trump's new travel ban is discriminatory, racist, and downright cruel,' Amnesty International USA said in a statement posted to X. 'By targeting people based on their nationality, this ban only spreads disinformation and hate.' "This policy is not about national security,' Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, said in a statement. 'It is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States." 'To include Afghanistan — a nation whose people stood alongside American service members for 20 years — is a moral disgrace,' Shawn VanDiver, president and board chairman of #AfghanEvac, said in a statement. 'It spits in the face of our allies, our veterans, and every value we claim to uphold.' The African Union Commission released a statement expressing concern about 'the potential negative impact' of the ban on educational exchange, commerce and engagement and the 'broader diplomatic relations that have been carefully nurtured over decades.' The commission said it 'respectfully calls upon the U.S. Administration to consider adopting a more consultative approach and to engage in constructive dialogue with the countries concerned.' The new travel ban is similar to the one Trump imposed in January 2017, his first month in office. That ban restricted travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries — Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. (Syria and Iraq are not included on the new list.) It went into effect via an executive order with virtually no notice, causing chaos at airports nationwide and prompting numerous legal challenges. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a version of it in 2018. Stephen Vladeck, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center, told the New York Times that the new ban is more likely to withstand legal scrutiny. 'They seem to have learned some lessons from the three different rounds of litigation we went through during the first Trump administration,' Vladeck said. 'But a lot will depend upon how it's actually enforced.'
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Eileen Gu Is Joining Shaun White's Snow League As Global Ambassador
Eileen Gu of Team China reacts after winning the gold medal during the Women's Freestyle Freeski ... More Halfpipe Final on Day 14 of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Genting Snow Park on February 18, 2022 in Zhangjiakou, China. Shaun White's professional snowboarding and freeskiing competition, The Snow League, debuted this year with a host of big-name sponsors and backers. White's venture is supported by partners like Marriott Bonvoy, INEOS Automotive, Pacifico, Hublot and Tiffany & Co., and it inked a multi-year media rights deal with NBC Sports. These partnerships have allowed White and his team to offer athletes the opportunity to compete for an unprecedented $2.5 million season purse at the end of The Snow League's four-stop season. Now, The Snow League has announced that Eileen Gu, one of the most recognizable names and faces in action sports, is joining as global ambassador. The news is sure to excite freeskiing fans, who eagerly await that sport's debut in the second stop of the Snow League's first season in Yunding Secret Garden in China on December 4–6, 2025. 'Eileen represents everything The Snow League stands for: greatness, creativity and a relentless drive to push boundaries,' White said. 'The Snow League is doing what no other winter sports league has done—bringing together world-class venues, premium global partners and high-profile investors to create an experience that elevates both the athletes and the sports themselves.' Having Gu onboard, White added, 'is not only an asset for the league, but also for the future of winter sports, and I'm so proud to have her as a partner on this journey.' Freeskier Eileen Gu, a powerhouse on and off the slopes, is joining Shaun White's Snow League as ... More global ambassador Gu, at 21, is already making her case as one of the best freeskiers to ever do it. She is as skilled in halfpipe as she is slopestyle and rails. At Beijing 2022, Gu became the youngest freeski Olympic gold medalist at age 18. She's also the first winter sports athlete to claim three medals at both the 2021 X Games and FIS World Championships. In World Cup competition, Gu has made the podium in 89% of her starts. But skiing represents just a fraction of Gu's platform. Gu is a full-time student at Stanford University, where she is studying quantum physics. She is also an in-demand model, having walked the runway for designers like Louis Vuitton and Brunello Cucinelli and been featured on covers of magazines like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. In short, Gu is a sports and culture powerhouse, truly the freeskiing equivalent to White, who became the face of snowboarding during his pro career. Gu has already served as an ambassador for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, 2024 Gangwon Youth Olympics, 2024 Paris Olympics and Salt Lake City's 2030 Olympic bid. Now, Gu will bring that global crossover appeal to The Snow League as the series prepares for its event in China at the same venue that saw Gu made history, becoming the only action sports athlete to win three medals (two golds and a silver) at the Beijing 2022 Games. The inaugural Snow League event, held in Aspen Snowmass March 7–8, featured snowboard halfpipe only. The final two events of the season in 2026, at Aspen Snowmass again in February and then Laax, Switzerland, in March, will also feature both disciplines. Shaun White poses in the halfpipe after competition on day 2 of The Snow League at Buttermilk Ski ... More Resort on March 08, 2025 in Aspen, Colorado. The list of invited freeski athletes for the remaining Snow League events has not yet been released. 'I vividly remember the first time I heard about The Snow League," Gu told me. 'I was getting my boots fitted in the springtime when my phone rang in my pocket. Shaun and I spoke for over an hour about our common goal of sharing the joy of snowsport with kids and adults all around the world who maybe hadn't engaged in winter sports before.' The partnership is symbolic of The Snow League's—and White's and Gu's—goal of elevating winter sports as a whole, moving beyond the tired skiing vs. snowboarding debate. 'It's about the power of sport to bring people together, cultivate resilience and build sportsmanship,' Gu added. 'I'm excited to align with TSL to make the world better through sport.'
