AFI will make SRY gene testing mandatory for athletes in all AFI-approved competitions and age categories from 2027, subject to legal formalities
The SRY test checks for the Sex-determining Region Y gene, using a cheek swab or blood sample to detect its presence in DNA
World Athletics already uses SRY testing as part of its eligibility regulations for athletes competing in the female category at world ranking competitions
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has decided to make the SRY gene test mandatory for participation in all AFI-approved competitions across all age categories from 2027.
The decision was taken at an emergent Executive Council meeting held on September 19. However, the federation said the new requirement will come into effect only after the completion of all applicable legal formalities.
"The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has decided to make the SRY Gene Test mandatory for participation in all AFI-approved competitions across all age categories, effective from 2027," the AFI said in a statement.
The announcement follows the introduction of SRY testing by World Athletics as part of its eligibility regulations for athletes competing in the female category at its world ranking competitions.
But what exactly is the SRY gene, what does the test look for, and how is it conducted?
What Is The SRY Gene?
SRY stands for Sex-determining Region Y. It is a gene normally located on the Y chromosome and plays an important role in sex development during embryonic development.
The gene provides instructions for producing a protein that initiates a developmental pathway leading to the formation of testes from the initially undifferentiated gonadal tissue.
Typically, people with an XY chromosome pattern carry the SRY gene, while people with an XX chromosome pattern generally do not. However, biological variations can occur.
In some cases, the SRY gene can be transferred to another chromosome, while an individual with a Y chromosome may have an absent or non-functional SRY gene.
Therefore, the presence of the SRY gene is a specific genetic characteristic and is not, by itself, a complete description of every aspect of an individual's sex development.
What Is An SRY Gene Test?
An SRY gene test is a genetic screening test that looks for the presence or absence of the SRY gene in a person's DNA.
The test does not require a complicated procedure. Under World Athletics' regulations, it can be conducted using either a cheek swab or a blood sample.
For a cheek-swab test, cells are collected from the inside of the mouth. With a blood test, a small blood sample is collected. DNA is then extracted from the sample and analysed in a laboratory to determine whether the SRY gene sequence is present.
The test therefore produces a relatively straightforward genetic result:
SRY detected: The SRY gene is present in the tested sample.
SRY not detected: The SRY gene was not detected in the tested sample.
The test specifically examines the SRY gene. It is different from a conventional chromosome test, which looks at the number and structure of a person's chromosomes.
What Does The SRY Test Establish?
The SRY test establishes whether the SRY gene is detected in the tested genetic material.
The result can therefore provide information about the presence of an SRY sequence, which is normally associated with the Y chromosome.
However, genetic variations mean that the relationship between SRY, chromosomes and sex development is not identical in every individual.
For example, an SRY gene can occasionally be found in an individual with an XX chromosome pattern, while some individuals with an XY chromosome pattern can have an absent or non-functional SRY gene.
This is why it is more precise to describe the procedure as SRY gene testing rather than a test that independently determines every aspect of biological sex.
World Athletics, however, uses SRY testing within its own eligibility framework. Its regulations define biological male and biological female for the purposes of the rules and require athletes to demonstrate eligibility for the female category through SRY testing.
How Is The Test Used In Athletics?
World Athletics introduced its SRY testing requirement in 2025 after its Council approved new regulations concerning eligibility for the female category at world ranking competitions.
The regulations came into effect on September 1, 2025, and were applied at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo later that month. World Athletics said athletes wishing to compete in the female category at the World Championships would have to undergo a once-in-a-lifetime SRY gene test through either a cheek swab or blood sample.
Under the current World Athletics regulations, an athlete must demonstrate eligibility for the female category through SRY testing of buccal cells or a blood sample.
The regulations state that an athlete with a negative SRY test is permitted to compete in the female category, while an athlete with a positive test is not permitted to compete in that category pending further medical assessment by World Athletics.
An athlete who fails to undergo requested SRY testing is also not eligible to compete in the female category.
World Athletics' rules also contain provisions concerning athletes with certain differences of sex development and Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, meaning the SRY result is applied within a wider eligibility framework rather than operating as the only provision in the regulations.
How Has World Athletics Implemented It?
The SRY testing requirement was first applied at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
World Athletics said 1,015 female athletes, including reserve athletes, underwent SRY testing at the championships. The organisation subsequently said testing would be requested at specified world ranking competitions on a staggered basis from 2026 to 2030.
For 2026, World Athletics said SRY test results would be requested from athletes competing in World Athletics Series events, the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, Diamond League meetings and Marathon Major Platinum events, unless they already had a confirmed clear test from the 2025 World Championships.
What Does AFI's 2027 Decision Mean?
AFI's latest decision takes the requirement into its domestic competition structure.
The federation has said that the SRY gene test will be mandatory for participation in all AFI-approved competitions across all age categories from 2027, subject to completion of the applicable legal formalities.
AFI had already begun implementing SRY testing at national-level competitions in 2026. Its official website lists circulars on "Implementation of SRY Gene Testing" and SRY testing for national competitions, including the National Senior Athletics Federation competitions.
The federation had also announced in February 2026 that it would conduct SRY testing at national-level competitions, with the testing process to be implemented after working out logistical arrangements.
The 2027 decision would therefore expand the requirement across AFI-approved competitions and age categories, rather than limiting it to selected national-level events.
Is The SRY Test A One-Time Test?
Under the World Athletics framework, the SRY test was introduced as a once-in-a-lifetime test for athletes seeking to compete in the female category at the World Championships.
World Athletics has also said that athletes with a confirmed clear test result from the 2025 World Championships would not need to provide another result when testing is requested at certain 2026 competitions.
The precise testing procedure, frequency and implementation requirements under AFI's broader 2027 domestic mandate will depend on the federation's final regulations and the completion of the applicable legal formalities.
What Does The Test Not Tell Us?
An SRY test specifically answers one genetic question -- is the SRY gene detected in the sample?
It does not independently measure an athlete's testosterone level, muscle mass, strength, height, performance, reproductive anatomy or other physical characteristics.
It is also not the same as comprehensive genetic or medical testing. A person's sex development can involve chromosomes, genes, hormones, reproductive anatomy and other biological factors, and variations can occur in these characteristics.
For athletics, the significance of the test comes from the eligibility rules under which the result is interpreted. World Athletics has incorporated SRY testing into its regulations governing participation in the female category, while AFI has announced that it will extend mandatory SRY testing to its approved domestic competitions from 2027, subject to legal formalities.
