The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) has endorsed a gene testing protocol to determine gender eligibility in women’s competitions. However, a decision regarding allowing certain Russian athletes to qualify for the upcoming Winter Olympics under neutral status has been postponed.
FIS stated that it will collaborate with national team officials to implement the policy, which mirrors the approach adopted by World Athletics in track and field.
In a statement, FIS explained that the eligibility criteria in the policy are based on the presence or absence of the SRY gene, a sex-determining gene located on the Y chromosome in humans.
The extent to which athletes with the SRY gene have previously participated in women’s events across various FIS disciplines, such as alpine and cross-country skiing, ski jumping, snowboarding, and freestyle skiing, remains unclear.
Both FIS president Johan Eliasch and World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe, who ran for International Olympic Committee positions this year, pledged to safeguard the integrity of women’s sports.
Eliasch emphasized in a FIS statement on Wednesday, “This policy is fundamental to our commitment to uphold women’s sports, and we firmly believe that the most equitable and transparent approach is to rely on scientific and biological evidence.”
The International Olympic Committee, now led by its first female president, Kirsty Coventry, a two-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer from Zimbabwe, has established an expert working group to address gender-related matters in sports.
Notably, France and Norway face challenges as their national laws prohibit gene testing for non-medical reasons, impacting athletes in these countries. During the recent track and field world championships in Tokyo, French and Norwegian athletes underwent testing upon arrival in Japan.
FIS has not outlined a specific schedule for implementing a testing program, with the upcoming Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Games set to commence on February 6.
Russian Athlete Policy
Following the full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, FIS banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from international competitions. This decision came just days after the conclusion of the Beijing Winter Games, where Russian athletes secured 32 medals, including five gold, and the Belarusian team won two silver medals.
During a meeting on Wednesday, the FIS ruling council deliberated on extending the ban or endorsing a neutral status policy for individual athletes from Russia and Belarus for the upcoming Olympics. A final decision is expected to be reached at the council’s next meeting on October 21.
As part of the IOC’s sanctions, Russia and Belarus have been excluded from team events at both the Summer and Winter Games. Olympic sports governing bodies have been advised to consider granting neutral status to athletes from these countries if they have not publicly supported the war and are not affiliated with military or state security services.
