World Athletics will provide swab tests for elite athletes who want to compete in the women’s category that are internationally active.

The “pre-clearance requirements” are part of the changes that will further tighten regulations on the qualification of athletes on transgender and sexual development differences (DSD).

In March 2023, world track and field athletes banned trans athletes who experienced male adolescence from participating in competitions in the women's category in international competitions.

However, follow the recommendations of the World Track and Field Commission,,,,, External Now, the governing body will modify its eligibility regulations for transgender athletes based on new evidence and indicate that “there is a significant performance gap before adolescence begins.”

Meanwhile, current rules for DSD athletes require them to reduce their testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L within at least six months to participate in any female category internationally.

World Athletics has now proposed rules for DSD and transgender athletes as new evidence has clarified testosterone inhibition in 46XY DSD,,,,, External 46 Xy's transgender people can only partially reduce the overall advantage of men".

The World Track and Field Commission meeting, expected next month, will determine when new regulations can be implemented.

Lord Coe, the president of the World Track and Field, has made the “protective” qualification in the women’s category a key component of being elected as chairman of the International Olympic Committee.

The proposed new rules “keep up to date with the latest information available” to maintain a “level, level playing field in the women’s category,” the COE said on Monday.

He added: “Maintaining the integrity of competition in the female category is a fundamental principle of sports and we look forward to a collaborative consulting process with our key stakeholders in the field.”

World Track and Field says the cheek swab test will look for the SRY gene, which is "almost always on the male Y chromosome" and "used as a highly accurate proxy for biological gender."

In addition to the presence of the SRY gene, dry blood tests can also be used to determine athletes' testosterone levels.

At the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, mandatory sexual tests were called for through swab checks, but scientists disagree on their effectiveness.

Professor Alun Williams, who studied genetic factors related to sports performance at the Metropolitan University Sports School in Manchester, told BBC Sport last year that cheek swabs alone “do not allow you to be a person’s gender and sports in The potential advantages of this lead to strong conclusions”.

The proposals for gender-diversified athletes proposed by the World Track and Field Working Group will be held in a consulting period from 10 February to 5 March.

However, the athlete’s point of view can only be heard during this time, and an alternative policy recommendation outlined was not called for.