Botswana women's relay team awaits gene test results for competition eligibility

The Botswana women's relay team is awaiting results from mandatory biological sex tests conducted in South Africa. This testing aligns with the World Athletics Council's decision to approve sex-determining region Y gene SRY tests for eligibility in the women's category of world ranking competitions. These new regulations, which came into effect on September 1, 2025, were also applied during last year's World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. All athletes competing in women's categories must undergo a one-time SRY gene test, which serves as a reliable indicator of biological sex. The tests are performed using either a cheek swab or a blood sample.