Coco Gauff supports WTA gene tests but warns they fuel anti-trans sentiment

Coco Gauff, a two-time Grand Slam champion, expressed support for the Women’s Tennis Association’s newly announced gene-testing requirement, which will apply to all players seeking to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The test looks for the SRY gene, a DNA segment linked to male sex development, and is intended to preserve fairness in women’s events. Gauff, however, warned that the issue is being politicised and used to generate hostility toward the transgender community, a development she does not endorse.

She also pointed out that several players only discovered the rule when it was publicly disclosed, indicating a lack of prior communication. The WTA maintains that the policy distinguishes biological sex from gender identity and is not meant to question anyone’s dignity. Critics, including human-rights experts, have condemned comparable mandatory screenings in sports such as track and field, skiing, and boxing.