Gender identification in sports:

According to the latest announcement from the International Athletics Federation, starting September 1, 2025, female athletes wishing to compete in world-ranked competitions will be required to undergo genetic testing.

This is not just a purely professional issue; it also shows that gender regulations in international sports are becoming increasingly stringent. Vietnamese sports, therefore, cannot remain unaffected.

Vietnamese athletics will have to adapt to the International Athletics Federation's regulations regarding female gender. Photo: Nguyen Van

An irreversible trend

For many years, the world of sports has been plagued by heated debates surrounding the definition of gender in competition. Cases of athletes with gender differences or transgender issues have sparked controversy, particularly in sports such as athletics, boxing, and volleyball.

Prior to 2023, the World Athletics Federation (WA) applied testosterone thresholds to classify athletes eligible to compete in certain women's events. In March 2023, the WA expanded this rule to all events and prohibited transgender women – those who had undergone male puberty – from participating in international competitions.

And starting September 1, 2025, WA officially implemented an additional mandatory regulation: All female athletes participating in world-ranked tournaments must undergo SRY genetic testing. This is a once-in-a-lifetime test to determine the presence of the Y gene – a key factor in determining male sexual development. If the SRY result is positive, the athlete will not be allowed to compete in the women's category unless they pass a rigorous medical evaluation process.

This new regulation is considered a step forward in efforts to standardize and increase transparency in gender determination in sports, aiming to reduce controversy and protect fairness for female athletes. Not only track and field, but many other sports such as swimming, cycling, boxing, rugby, etc., have also enacted strict regulations regarding the gender determination of female athletes.

In light of these changes, the Vietnam Athletics Federation and the Athletics Department (Vietnam Sports and Physical Education Department) have confirmed that they will conduct SRY genetic testing for some athletes in the national team. Last August, at least two female athletes from the national team had to undergo gender testing before being registered to participate in the 33rd SEA Games, which will take place in Thailand this December.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Nguyen - in charge of Athletics (Vietnam Sports Department) - emphasized: "The cost of SRY gene testing is not high, about 1.2 million VND per sample. We need to strictly adhere to the regulations to avoid problems or complaints related to the gender of female athletes participating in the SEA Games 33."

Previously, in preparation for the 2025 World Athletics Championships - taking place this September in Tokyo (Japan) - several Vietnamese athletes also completed genetic testing and received valid results.

The issue of gender in competition is not limited to athletics; it has also begun to affect Vietnamese volleyball, although the relevant parties have refrained from making specific statements to ensure maximum privacy for the athletes. Several notable developments, such as the Vietnamese U21 women's team having their group stage results invalidated at the 2025 U21 World Championship, and the unexpected departure of outside hitter Nguyen Bich Tuyen from the national team before the 2025 World Championship, have fueled speculation. While the official reasons have not been announced, this clearly serves as a reminder for teams to proactively prepare early and avoid unwanted incidents.

Changes starting from the selection process.

Sports doctor Pham Manh Hung, who has spent decades working with national teams, analyzed: "Investing in gender determination during selection is necessary, not only to comply with international regulations but also to protect the athletes themselves. If we wait until international competitions to have controversies arise, both the athletes' careers and the team's reputation will be seriously affected. We need to change our mindset, from focusing solely on achievements to building a standardized selection system that includes medical and genetic testing."

Having participated in the selection of many athletes in Hanoi, Dr. Hung also shared that in the past, selection was largely based on experience, intuition, and observation of physical appearance, especially in the case of female athletes with masculine looks. However, at that time, there was no specific scientific basis because the cost of medical and genetic testing was quite high - potentially tens of millions of dong more than ten years ago. On the other hand, international regulations at that time were not as strict as they are today.

According to Dr. Hung, the current cost of SRY genetic testing is not too high compared to the total training budget for an athlete, but it plays a crucial role. This helps in early screening, ensuring fairness in competition and, especially, avoiding unnecessary psychological harm to athletes when they become embroiled in gender controversies.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Nam - Head of the Athletics Department (Hanoi Sports Training and Competition Center, under the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports) - also agreed: "With the new regulations on gender determination from the World Athletics Federation, the team selecting athletes from the grassroots level must increase their responsibility and cannot continue to rely on experience or luck."

Experts believe that the Vietnamese sports sector needs to quickly standardize the athlete selection process. This includes incorporating SRY gene testing and other medical examinations into the screening system. Simultaneously, a team of professional and psychological counselors should be established to support athletes in special circumstances. The Center for Doping and Sports Medicine also needs to play a more prominent role in this work.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/xac-dinh-gioi-tinh-trong-the-thao-chuyen-te-nhi-nhung-khong-the-ne-tranh-715428.html