# Sporting organizations transgender eligibility policies

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/sporting-organizations-transgender-eligibility-policies
> Updated: 2026-08-24T05:45:00.000Z. Sources: 42. Developments: 3.

Sporting organizations are implementing new policies regarding athlete eligibility based on biological sex. The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has commenced a rollout of a policy requiring a one-time genetic test, such as a blood test or cheek swab, to identify the presence of the SRY gene. This move has drawn mixed reactions from players, with some supporting the measure for competitive fairness and others expressing concern regarding the potential targeting of the transgender community. At the Cincinnati Open, the rollout was confirmed by Jessica Pegula. While Aryna Sabalenka voiced support for the measure, Coco Gauff expressed concerns that the initiative could target the transgender community. Martina Navratilova noted that some players may hesitate to speak publicly due to the risk of “social vilification.” The WTA stated the policy aligns with International Olympic Committee guidelines and noted that while the mandate effectively prohibits transgender women from competing, there are currently no active transgender women on the circuit. Previously, transgender women could participate if they identified as female and maintained low testosterone levels for two years. Human rights organizations have criticized the mandate. The Sports & Rights Alliance argued the tests ignore biological complexities and could cause trauma, while Minky Worden of Human Rights Watch described the tests as “unethical, unscientific, and unfeasible,” suggesting they rely on gender stereotypes. Other sporting bodies are also amending their regulations. The Football Association of Wales and the Royal Yachting Association have updated their rules to prioritize biological sex over self-identified gender following legal warnings regarding the Equality Act 2010. In Australia, Golf Australia has adopted a tiered system: grassroots players may select a handicap without medical testing, while elite competitors must adhere to strict medical guidelines and testosterone level requirements.

## Claims

- The WTA has announced that players must undergo genetic gender testing to screen for the SRY gene. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams lost in the US Open mixed doubles quarterfinals to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The quarterfinal match score was 5:4(4), 4:1 in favor of Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka were eliminated in the first round by Henry Patten and Katerina Siniakova with a score of 1-4, 4-2, 10-2. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Human Rights Watch and the Sports & Rights Alliance have criticized the new gender testing rules as unethical and unscientific. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The US Open is testing a new, shortened mixed doubles format that includes a $1 million prize for the winning pair. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Alexander Zverev and Taylor Townsend lost their first-round mixed doubles match 2:4, 2:4 to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Carlos Alcaraz expressed nervousness regarding his return to competition following a wrist injury sustained in April. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-24: US Open mixed doubles sees major upsets and WTA policy debate

High-profile stars including Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, and the duo of Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams have faced early exits in the US Open mixed doubles tournament amid debates over new WTA gender-sw

32 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/wta-introduces-genetic-gender-testing-for-professional-players

### 2026-08-19: Sporting bodies update transgender eligibility policies

Sporting bodies including the Football Association of Wales and Golf Australia are updating transgender eligibility policies, moving toward biological sex requirements for elite competition.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sporting-bodies-update-transgender-eligibility-policies

### 2026-08-11: WTA begins genetic testing for athlete eligibility

The WTA has begun mandatory genetic testing for athletes to establish biological sex eligibility, a move that has sparked debate among players regarding fairness and the treatment of the transgender community.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/wta-begins-genetic-testing-for-athlete-eligibility

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Cite as: Sporting organizations transgender eligibility policies. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/sporting-organizations-transgender-eligibility-policies