World Athletics mandates cheek swabs to ‘doggedly protect female category’

Sebastian Coe said of cheek swabs: ‘This is a really important way of maintaining that absolute focus on the integrity of competition.’ Photograph: Mike Powell/Getty Images

Sebastian Coe has vowed to ­“doggedly protect the female ­category and do whatever it takes to protect it” after World Athletics became the first sport to introduce DNA tests for elite female athletes.

Lord Coe insisted that the new ­policy, which he said would involve a one‑time cheek swab or dry blood test that was noninvasive, was ­necessary to protect fairness in the female ­cate­gory. World Athletics hopes to have testing in place in time for its outdoor world championships in September.