Transgender athlete criticises genetic testing for female competitors

Transgender and non-binary athlete Nikki Hiltz has criticised a new rule from World Athletics that requires genetic testing for female competitors, calling it a “slippery slope.”

Hiltz, an American middle-distance runner, was assigned female at birth and came out as transgender and non-binary in 2021, using they/them pronouns.

“Gender testing is a slippery slope,” Hiltz said after winning the women’s 1,500 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials on Saturday, securing a spot at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

The international governing body for track and field adopted the new rule last Wednesday. It requires female athletes to undergo a one-time genetic test—using a cheek swab or blood sample—to determine their biological sex by identifying the presence of the SRY gene on the Y chromosome.

Athletes who test negative for the Y chromosome will be eligible to compete in women’s events that count toward world rankings. Those who test positive may only compete in events that do not count toward rankings or in a separate category.

Hiltz said they would comply with the new rule but expressed concern about the precedent it sets, particularly given that other sports have used more invasive testing methods. They also called for more time, energy, and money to be spent addressing issues such as “abusive coaches” and “doping allegations.”

World Athletics has long grappled with eligibility criteria for women’s events amid ongoing debate about the biological advantages of transgender athletes and those with differences in sex development. The organisation currently bans transgender women who have undergone male puberty from competing in women’s events. It also requires female athletes with high testosterone levels to take medication to reduce them in order to be eligible.