Nigeria’s sprint star and world record holder Tobi Amusan will have to take a mandatory gender test before competing at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
World Athletics announced new rules on Friday stating that, from September 1, 2025, all athletes in the women’s category must complete a one-time genetic test to confirm their biological sex.
The test, done through a cheek swab or blood sample, will check for the SRY gene, which is usually found on the Y chromosome.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the move was necessary to protect fairness in women’s sport.
“At the elite level, to compete in the female category you must be biologically female,” Coe explained. “Gender cannot override biology. These regulations are about ensuring fairness.”
The decision comes from recommendations by the Gender Diverse Athlete Working Group and replaces previous rules on transgender and athletes with Differences of Sex Development (DSD).
Amusan, the 2022 world champion and current 100m hurdles world record holder, is expected to defend her national title at the Nigerian Championships in Lagos from August 1–3 before heading to Tokyo for the World Championships, which start on September 13.
