Odisha, Bhubaneshwar – Female Canadian and French athletes are facing a significant hurdle in their preparations for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (September 13-21), as issues surrounding the newly mandated SRY gene tests have left them scrambling to meet the September 1 deadline.
Canadian Athletes Face Non-Compliant Tests
In Canada, female athletes recently underwent SRY gene tests commissioned by Athletics Canada through Dynacare. However, a recent email to athletes revealed that Dynacare “has advised us that the test kits they provided were not of the required standard.” This has left Canadian athletes in a frantic race against time to complete new, compliant tests. Dynacare is reportedly sending new kits and providing testing locations for athletes in Canada and the U.S.
French Law Prohibits Testing, Forcing Athletes Abroad
Meanwhile, French athletes are in a similar predicament, but for different reasons. The French Athletics Federation (FFA) had planned to conduct the SRY gene tests at their national championships, but were informed by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Sports that “such tests are prohibited under the French Bioethics Law enacted in 1994.” Consequently, no tests were carried out in France. This ruling is forcing French athletes to seek meets and training camps outside their country to complete the required one-off tests. The FFA expressed confidence that World Athletics would find a solution to ensure their athletes’ participation.
World Athletics’ Stance and Solutions
World Athletics, which approved the introduction of the SRY test in March and announced its details on July 31, is actively working with affected federations. Jackie Brock-Doyle, Director of Special Projects for World Athletics, confirmed they are assisting the French federation to facilitate testing at other meets or pre-World Championships training camps outside France. Similar efforts are being made with federations from Poland, Belgium, and Switzerland to utilize remaining Diamond League meetings for testing.
Despite the challenges, Brock-Doyle stated that World Athletics is not concerned about female athletes missing the Tokyo championships due to testing failures. She estimated that 40-50% of athletes have already been tested. Critically, athletes who have completed the test but are still awaiting results past the deadline will be permitted to compete in Japan, with any adverse results leading to investigations post-championships. Brock-Doyle also defended the rapid implementation of the genetic testing regulations against criticism.
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