Court Rules Against Caster Semenya in IAAF Testosterone Case – runnersworld.com
Court Rules Against Caster Semenya in IAAF Testosterone Case runnersworld.com
On Wednesday morning, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favor of the restrictions placed on female track athletes with high levels of testosterone …
Andy LyonsGetty Images
- In a 2-1 vote, the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected an appeal by Caster Semenya that challenged IAAF’s proposed regulations on high testosterone levels in female athletes.
- Under the IAAF’s new policy, hyperandrogenous women must take hormone suppressants to lower their testosterone levels in order to compete in certain middle-distance events.
- Semenya of South Africa, a world and Olympic 800-meter champion, is the runner most notably affected by the decision.
On Wednesday morning, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favor of the restrictions placed on female track athletes with high levels of testosterone by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The landmark decision means that women like Caster Semenya of South Africa, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 800 meters, must take testosterone suppressants in order to continue competing in certain middle-distance events.
Since 2009, when Semenya won the World Championship 800 meters in Berlin at the age of 18, the middle-distance runner has been heavily scrutinized by the IAAF. At 5-foot-10 and with a distinctly muscular build, she stood out on the starting line and obliterated the field—running 1:55.45, two seconds faster than second place. The IAAF launched an investigation, ultimately deciding that Semenya, now 28, appeared to have DSD, a disorder of sex development that might produce atypically high (for a woman) levels of natural testosterone—and which might, in turn, enhance her running performance or give her an edge over other female athletes.
While Semenya’s hormone levels are not public knowledge, the runner is presumed to be hyperandrogenic, meaning she has levels of testosterone that exceed the “normal” limits for women (anything above 10 nmols/liter). This excess of testosterone, the IAAF claimed in a 2017 press release, puts hyperandrogenic athletes at an advantage, according to their cited research: “Certain events female athletes with high testosterone levels benefit from a 1.8 percent to 4.5 percent competitive advantage over female athletes with lower testosterone levels,” the federation wrote.
The IAAF’s claims about how hyperandrogenism affects performance on the track are based on a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2017, which the federation funded. The study analyzed performance data from the 2011 and 2013 IAAF World Championships and concluded that women with hyperandrogenism have an advantage over women with average testosterone levels in certain track events, including the 400 and 800 meters, and 400-meter hurdles. In longer distances, such as the 1500 meters, raised testosterone levels didn’t have a significant impact on performance, according to the study.
Still, the IAAF proposed that in order for hyperandrogenic athletes to compete in any of these events—even those where hormones didn’t come into play—they had to suppress their testosterone levels below five nmols/liter. In today’s ruling, however, CAS asked that the IAAF consider restricting only athletes competing in events 800 meters and shorter (instead of everything from the 400 meters to the mile), as there wasn’t enough evidence to suggest that testosterone boosts performance in, say, 1500 meters.
Also of note was that CAS found the rules for athletes with DSD as discriminatory, but that the discrimination was “necessary, reasonable, and proportionate” to protect “the integrity of female athletics.”
Semenya and her attorneys have been fighting the IAAF’s regulations for the last two years, arguing that the limitations are “medically unnecessary as well as ‘discriminatory, irrational, unjustifiable’ and a violation of the rules of sport and universally recognized human rights,” according to the New York Times.
Others have argued that even if hyperandrogenism gives Semenya and others like her a slight leg up on the competition, there are many other, unregulated factors that boost athletic performance, such as nutrition, training, and body types. Take American gymnast Simone Biles, for example: She is a 4-foot-8 machine, and her petite yet powerful body, on top of her years of gymnastics training, very likely gave her an edge over her competition at the 2016 Olympic Games. Yet no one is doubting whether Biles deserved her gold medal.
The timing of today’s ruling is especially important, as the track community is looking ahead to the World Championships taking place this September in Doha, Qatar, as well as the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. This ruling will go into effect on May 8. Given the requirement to medically lower testosterone for six months, the timing of this ruling means that affected athletes will be unable to compete in the relevant events in Doha. Semenya is the defending world champion at 800 meters.
Semenya’s 800-meter PR of 1:54.25 makes her the fourth-fastest woman in history in the event. To continue competing in the 800, she will have to take hormone suppressants to reduce her testosterone levels to 5 nmol/L and maintain those levels for at least six months before a competition.
“I know that the IAAF’s regulations have always targeted me specifically. For a decade the IAAF has tried to slow me down, but this has actually made me stronger,” Semenya said in a statement released by her representatives.
“The decision of the CAS will not hold me back. I will once again rise above and continue to inspire young women and athletes in South Africa and around the world.”
The South African Ministry of Sport and Semenya said they plan to appeal the decision.
Others outside the world of running like soccer star Abby Wambach and tennis legend Billie Jean King have stood by Semenya after the ruling on Wednesday.