WTA introduces mandatory genetic sex testing for women

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has announced that all players will be required to undergo a one-time genetic sex test in order to compete on the WTA Tour, with the new eligibility policy taking effect on Tuesday.

Under the revised regulations, players must provide either a cheek swab, blood or saliva sample to test for the presence of the SRY gene, a gene located on the Y chromosome that is responsible for the development of male biological characteristics.

Only athletes who return a negative result for the SRY gene will automatically be eligible to compete in WTA events. Players who test positive will undergo further medical evaluation before a decision is made on their eligibility.

The WTA said the genetic test will only be required once during a player’s lifetime. Athletes must also sign a declaration acknowledging that refusing to undergo testing could result in disciplinary action.

The updated policy replaces the WTA’s 2024 eligibility rules, which permitted transgender women to compete in the women’s category provided they had maintained testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for at least two years.

There are currently no known transgender women competing on the WTA Tour.

In a statement, the governing body said the revised policy aims to preserve fairness in women’s professional tennis.

“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 organisation added that the policy had been reviewed in consultation with its members and reflected evolving standards across women’s sport.

“Following the most recent review, which included consultation with WTA members and evolving standards across women’s sport, the WTA board approved an updated WTA women’s eligibility policy beginning in 2026 based on biological sex.”

Acknowledging the sensitivity of the issue, the WTA stressed that all players would be treated with dignity and respect throughout the implementation process.

The decision aligns the WTA with other international sporting bodies that have recently introduced biological sex verification measures.

World Athletics implemented mandatory one-time SRY gene testing for female athletes competing in world ranking events in September 2025, while World Boxing introduced compulsory sex testing for women’s competition in May 2025.