RANCHI: In a first in Indian athletics, women will undergo the SRY gene tests in the ongoing Senior National Athletics Federation Competition, Athletics Federation of India (AFI) top official Lalit Bhanot said on Thursday.
These tests, however, will only be mandated across the country next year. The AFI began tests after World Athletics brought in new regulations over participation in events in women’s section during the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
As the four-day federation competition – which serves as the final selection trial for the Commonwealth Games – has brought top women athletes, most of them are likely to undergo this test. “We are expecting roughly over 100 women athletes to be tested in this event,” Bhanot told reporters here.
The AFI has decided to mandate only by next year due to the cost factor. In a vitual press conference last month, AFI spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla said that the AFI will pay ₹3500 per test. “Some athletes may not afford to pay for a test. So, the AFI proposed to the (union) government for funds. The government will help with expenses through AFI,” he said.
“These tests should be done only at labs identified by the medical commission of the AFI,” Bhanot said, adding that the federation may continue to incur the expenses next year. One of the key reasons why the AFI has decided to conduct these tests during competitions is to counter impersonations. “For example, there was a camp in SAI NCOE in Bengaluru ahead of a junior Asian meet where girls got tested. Now, in this competition, women athletes will get tested. Then, in next month’s Senior Inter-State meet (in Bhubaneswar), athletes who may not participate here would be tested there. And those who have not taken part then, they will be told to come to their training centres for the test,” he said. Athletes will be chosen on a random basis.
The introduction of this test came across as one of the AFI’s landmark reforms in April’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Kohima, Nagaland.
According to a 2025 statement from World Athletics, women athletics will go through this test only once. “This is to be conducted via a cheek swab or blood test, whichever is more convenient,” the statement reads.