IOC turns to SRY gene testing to define women athletes

The International Olympic Committee has decided to use science to determine if athletes are women: a cheek swab will determine the presence of the SRY (testicular determining) gene – discovered in 1990 – which theoretically only appears on the Y chromosome, which is only found in XY people, aka biological men.

Women are XX, so isn’t this all very easy? Pity they didn’t do it sooner. Before Algeria’s Imane Khelif, raised a girl, she took gold in boxing in Paris.

Science and sex verification in elite sport

Before New Zealand transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard came last in her group in Tokyo. Before our lovely Caster Semenya was put through hell.

Except they did do it, 30 years ago. Historically, sportswomen deemed suspiciously butch had to strip naked before judges, even undergoing invasive genital inspection, so when X-chromosome testing of female athletes first began in the late ’60s, it was a relief.

Those not making the lady grade would have a full clinical assessment, because (spoiler alert!) even in the ’60s they understood sex determination is not simple, that chromosomal and hormonal sex characteristics all play a role, and various syndromes and genetic disorders can affect results too: it’s estimated that 0.5% of the population have clinically-identifiable reproductive or sexual variations.

The early evolution of sex testing in sport

So onwards to the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, where all 3 387 female athletes were first tested for the SRY gene. Eight came back positive: seven had androgen insensitivity, and one had something else.

All were cleared to compete. Afterwards, SRY testing was dropped because the numbers were tiny, the return limited, the costs large, and the side issues immense: imagine you’re a woman who’s spent years training to an elite level, and suddenly you’re told you have “differences in sex development” so you can’t compete.

Bang goes your life; you must explain yourself to your family, your country, and the world, and stigma follows ever after. Just ask Caster how that feels.

The fairness dilemma in elite competition

But then imagine you’re a woman who’s spent years training, and suddenly you’re up against someone with a potential male performance advantage of 10% in swimming and running, 20% in throwing and jumping, and 100 % in power sports like boxing. Both situations are untenable.

So, while imperfect, they reckon the SRY test is the best we currently have. And yet still, it’s not very good at all…