World Athletics’ new gender testing rules are drawing backlash just days before they take effect. Starting Sept. 1, every female athlete will be required to undergo a one-time test for the SRY gene — a policy the IOC abandoned in 1999 over concerns with accuracy and privacy. Professor Andrew Sinclair, who first identified the SRY gene, has warned the approach is “wrong” and oversimplifies biological sex. The regulations come after Vietnamese star Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen reportedly withdrew from competition over fears of testing, and amid concerns from U.S. champion Nikki Hiltz, who said the rules “set a dangerous precedent” for the sport. World Athletics already bans transgender women and will now exclude athletes with differences in sexual development, echoing the scrutiny faced by runners like Caster Semenya. #LGBTQAthletes #GenderTesting #NikkiHiltz #NguyenThiBichTuyen #CasterSemenya #SRYGene #WorldAthletics