- Semenya termed the move to be compelled to take testosterone suppressants unfair and discriminatory
- Regardless, she along with other who have rare differences of sexual development (DSD), will have to regulate their testosterone levels if they are to compete in track events
- Failure to adhere to this directive by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) would lead to Semenya competing in another distance
Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya may find it hard to defend her titles herein after losing a landmark case against athletics governing body IAAF.
Semenya will now have to take medication to regulate her testosterone levels if she is to compete in the international stage at all.
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Semenya termed the move to be compelled to take testosterone suppressants unfair and discriminatory. Photo: Caster Semenya
Source: Getty Images
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The decision was announced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) and it came after the 28-year old tried to challenge the new IAAF rules.
What this means is that Semenya, an Olympic, world and Commonwealth champion at 800m, along with other athletes who have rare differences of sexual development (DSD), will have to regulate their testestorone levels if they are to compete in track events ranging from 400 metres to 1 mile.
Otherwise, they would be forced to take up other events which typically entail long distances.
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Semenya had previously termed the move "unfair" because she wished to compete naturally since she was born that way.
While Cas found the rules for athletes with DSD a bit discriminatory, they also insist it is a necessary precaution that needs to be taken in order to protect the integrity of female athletes.
Semenya, despite her outstanding record in track and field, has not had it easy off the tracks as she has consistently been criticised over her physique and abilities as a woman.
She reacted to the news of the ultimatum she had been given by simply tweeting, "Sometimes, it is better to react with no reaction,"
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Biologically, men tend to perform better than ladies when it came exercises that require a high endurance for a short span of time, and testosterone levels play a huge factor in that tendency.
By adulthood, men have 20 times more testosterone than women.
Because female athletes with differences in sexual development (DSDs) tend to be born with male attributes including high testesterone levels, concern was raised that they had an unfair advantage over other female athletes.
Semenya took the IAAF to court, arguing that being compelled to take hormone suppresants was not only unfair and discriminatory, it also posed a health risk.
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