All female athletes forced to take ‘gene test’ before World Athletics Championships following Imane Khelif Olympics row

The new rules come into place before the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (YUICHI YAMAZAKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Coe continued: “We are saying, at elite level, for you to compete in the female category, you have to be biologically female. It was always very clear to me and the World Athletics Council that gender cannot trump biology.

“We particularly want to thank our Member Federations for their support and commitment in the implementation of these new regulations.”

The release includes parameters for its female category, including biological females, biological males who have ‘not gone through male sexual development including any type of male puberty’, and biological males ‘with a difference of sex development who satisfy the transitional provisions issued by World Athletics’.

“Biological females who have used testosterone as part of male gender-affirming treatment further to a Therapeutic Use Exemption granted in accordance with World Athletics’ Anti-Doping Rules may not compete in the female category until the passing of a period of time after their last use of testosterone,” the release continues.

It adds that the transitional provisions do not apply to transgender women, as there are none competing at the elite international level under the current regulations.