The Sport and Rights Alliance has called on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to eliminate its sex-testing policy, labeling it discriminatory and harmful. This announcement follows the WTA’s recent decision to mandate a one-time genetic test for the SRY gene, a marker used to determine biological sex. The test can be performed via a cheek swab or blood sample.
Andrea Florence, executive director of the Sport & Rights Alliance, emphasized that despite the WTA’s intentions, the policy will inevitably cause stigma and trauma for women and girls subjected to such testing. Meanwhile, the WTA has not provided a public response to these criticisms.
This policy was introduced shortly after the International Olympic Committee declared in March that only athletes confirmed as biological females through a one-time test would be eligible to compete in women’s events at the Olympic Games.
In a significant development, Lily Dong Li Rosengard, advocacy senior specialist at ILGA World, criticized the WTA’s rushed policy, stating it fails to protect the rights and dignity of women and girls on the tour. She pointed out that although no openly transgender women currently compete professionally, all female players must now prove their gender to ensure trans athletes do not participate.
The sex-testing debate gained prominence at the Canadian Open, where Belarusian world number one Aryna Sabalenka expressed support for the policy. Conversely, American two-time Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff voiced her backing for fairness in women’s sports but expressed concern that the policy could foster hostility toward the transgender community.
