Athletic performance is a complex phenomenon influenced by many factors. Genetic factors may have a significant mission in determining sports performance. The present study was conducted to examine, within the scope of studies in the literature, whether genetic tests in sports are effective methods for determining athletic performance. The study was designed as a narrative review. In obtaining the data, PubMed and PubMed-Central search engines within the NCBI database, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were utilized. The study reported that both the number and the areas of application of genetic tests have increased as a result of the development of DNA sequencing methods. Although genetic tests have a critical importance in determining sports-related skills, it was found that these tests are still at an early stage in achieving this goal. Accordingly, when the current applications of genetic tests in sports are examined, it is observed that a large proportion of these tests are conducted for commercial purposes. Although genetic tests explain the biological infrastructure related to the athlete's performance in detail, they also contain certain deficiencies regarding psychological and mental states, which are essential conditions for success in sports. Furthermore, these tests can classify individuals according to their biological characteristics. This situation may result in individuals being exposed to discrimination within the society they live in. Despite these results, genetic tests in sports can also provide several benefits to people. Through these tests, athletes' nutritional sensitivities and predispositions to non-contact injuries can be easily detected. According to the results obtained, the percentage of success in sports can be significantly increased by creating athlete-specific training plans. In conclusion, as long as genetic tests serve the purpose in a controlled manner, they can be used by integrating them into existing talent tests. It is recommended that more studies be conducted in this field.