World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said this week that more than 90% of the women entered for next month’s World Championships in Tokyo have already completed a mandatory genetic screening that verifies eligibility for female events. He expects the remaining athletes to be tested before the meet opens on 13 September, adding that facilities will be available in Tokyo for any late arrivals. Introduced by the federation’s council in March, the one-time cheek-swab or blood test looks for the SRY gene on the Y chromosome. Athletes who test negative may compete in the female category at world-ranking competitions; those who test positive must race in other classifications or non-ranking events. The measure is aimed at addressing competitive advantages linked to transgender women and athletes with differences of sex development. Coe said the process enjoys “overwhelming support” from competitors, although logistical and legal obstacles remain. Because genetic testing is banned under French bioethics law, French athletes have had to undergo the screening at overseas meetings or will do so at their pre-championship camp in Japan. World Athletics stresses that the procedure is non-invasive, stores no additional DNA information and destroys the data once eligibility is confirmed. Looking ahead, Coe also signalled interest in holding some championship disciplines—such as road events—outside the main stadium to bring athletics closer to city crowds, though no formal decision has been taken.