The Women’s Tennis Association has enacted a new rule banning men who identify as women from competition by requiring genetic testing to qualify to play in the women’s sport.
The WTA’s updated policy requires applicants for competition to take a genetic test that screens for the SRY gene, which is found on the male Y chromosome, according to the New York Post.
Potential players who test negative for SRY are immediately qualified to play in the women’s category. A positive result will trigger closer scrutiny before any possibility of becoming eligible, the tennis organization ruled.
Players who refuse testing will be required to sign a document acknowledging that their refusal could result in disciplinary action after any investigation into their application.
“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 policy states.
“The WTA recognizes 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 organization added after releasing the news.
The sport governing body said the change came after discussion with current members and a review of actions by other international women’s sport organizations.
The new rule seems to be a replacement for previous rules that allowed transgender athletes to compete if their testosterone was below 2.5 nmol/L for at least two years before competing.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova hailed the WTA’s move, calling it a “step in the right direction.”
In another post on X, Navratilova wrote that she is “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 is not alone. The International Olympic Committee also recently updated its policies and implemented sex testing for the upcoming 2028 Olympics scheduled for Los Angeles.
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