Amusan, Brume, Godbless top list as Nigeria’s female stars set to undergo gender test ahead of 2025 World Championships

As Nigeria’s top female athletes prepare to represent the nation at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, a new eligibility requirement has added a scientific twist to their journey.

World Athletics has announced that all athletes competing in the female category must undergo a one-time genetic test to confirm biological sex — a move aimed at preserving the integrity of women’s sport.

The test, which detects the presence of the SRY gene — a marker found on the Y chromosome — will be conducted via cheek swab or blood sample. It comes into effect on 1 September 2025, just days before the Championships begin on 13 September in Tokyo.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe emphasized the importance of the regulation.

‘We are saying, at elite level, for you to compete in the female category, you have to be biologically female. Gender cannot trump biology,’ said Coe in a press release by World Athletics.

The regulation follows recommendations from the Gender Diverse Athlete Working Group, which studied developments in law, science, and sport over the past year. It merges previous rules on transgender and DSD (Differences of Sex Development) athletes and introduces a pre-clearance requirement for all female competitors.

Among those expected to undergo the test are Nigeria’s most decorated and promising female athletes including Amusan, the World record holder in the 100m hurdles who will be aiming to reclaim her global title in Tokyo and Brume, Olympic and World Championship medalist in the long jump, returning from injury with renewed focus.

Others are Tima Godbless, the sprint sensation who clocked 10.91s in the 100m this season, placing her among the world’s fastest, her schoolmate, Ella Onojuvwevwo, the rising star in the 400m, fresh off a sub-51s performance at LSU.

Also likely to be tested is Olayinka Olajide who is preparing for both her wedding and her World Championships debut as well as the trio of Favour Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma, and Temitope Adeshina who have qualified and expected to compete in Tokyo.