Bioethical Storm: France Opposes IOC’s Return to Genetic Gender Testing

France’s sports minister slams the IOC’s new SRY gene testing policy for female athletes as a "step backwards" that violates bioethics legislation and targets women.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 27, 2026, 8:58 AM EDT

Source: Reuters

The IOC’s New Mandate

The IOC’s Thursday announcement marks a pivot toward a strictly biological definition of the female category:

The SRY Test: Athletes must undergo a genetic screen to identify male sex development. The IOC argues this is necessary to ensure "fairness" by restricting the female category to biological females.

Transgender Ban: The policy essentially mandates that only those without male-typical genetic development can compete in women's events, a significant departure from previous hormone-based regulations.

Historical Context: Similar genetic tests were introduced in 1967 but abandoned in 1999 due to scientific doubts regarding their accuracy and the psychological harm they caused athletes.

France’s Response: "Reductive and Stigmatizing"