Tennis star Coco Gauff called for nuance in response to a new rule from the Women’s Tennis Association that requires its athletes to undergo genetic tests amid the ongoing debate about transgender athletes in women’s sports.Many athletes were unaware of the new policy until it was announced in a press release last month, Gauff told reporters at a National Bank Open post-match news conference Wednesday evening.
The 22-year-old player said that there could have been more transparency from the WTA but added that she understands the reasoning behind the rule.Gauff, a two-time major champion, called it “a conversation that is very nuanced.” “I, I guess, kind of agree with trying to protect the fairness in women’s sports, but also do not like the attack that it is creating —people who don’t really care, but just want to use this as a reason to attack the trans community,” Gauff said.“So I’m not really a big fan of that either.” She acknowledged that the issue has created “a lot of animosity” towards transgender people and that she supports the trans community.
“I don’t really know how to answer really this question in a way that people aren’t gonna spin it,” Gauff said.The policy introduced by the WTA last month aligns with the new International Olympic Committee eligibility policy ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics.
That policy was instituted in March after President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes in women’s sports.WTA athletes must now undergo an initial test that looks for the SRY gene, which can indicate the presence of the male Y chromosome.The association said that it was looking to determine biological sex and there is “no intent to disrespect or question the gender identity.” Scientist Andrew Sinclair, who discovered the SRY gene in the 1990s, described it as an overly simplistic way to determine biological sex.
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