British female athletes required to self-fund gender verification tests

Female track and field athletes in Britain must now pay £185 out of pocket for mandatory sex verification testing to compete in international competitions, following policy changes by governing athletics bodies.

World Athletics, the sport's international governing body, has implemented requirements for all female competitors to undergo SRY gene testing before participating in major championships and Diamond League events. The test, which detects Y chromosome presence through cheek swabs or blood samples, specifically targets the exclusion of transgender and intersex women from competition.

The testing requirement applies exclusively to female athletes, with male competitors exempted from any verification process, The Times reports. Previously, World Championships provided financial assistance to national federations for conducting these tests, and athletes needed to complete testing only once during their careers.

UK Athletics (UKA) has now shifted the financial burden to individual athletes, instructing female competitors to arrange and pay for testing independently "as soon as possible to avoid delays around selection" for international events.

While UKA maintains a "hardship fund" for athletes unable to afford the testing costs, the federation evaluates applications individually rather than providing universal support. This case-by-case assessment process creates additional barriers for athletes from lower-income backgrounds seeking to compete at elite levels.

The policy change represents a significant shift in how gender verification is managed within athletics, placing both financial and administrative responsibilities directly on female athletes. The requirement affects all women seeking to compete internationally, regardless of their competitive history or previous testing compliance.

The implementation of mandatory self-funded testing has raised concerns about equitable access to international competition, particularly for emerging athletes and those from underrepresented communities who may face additional financial constraints in pursuing elite athletic careers.