Semenya plays down gender ‘nonsense’
SOUTH African Caster Semenya, dogged by gender accusations sations since shooting to fame me in 2009, has played down wn effor ts by track and d field’s governing body to change rules on naturally occurring t e s t o s t e r o n e i n female athletes.
Semenya is back in the spotlight following a study funded by the IAAF AAF and the World Anti-Doping oping Agency ( WADA) that showed howed female athletes with naturally high levels of testosterosterone enjoy a competitiveetitive advantage of up to 4.5 5 percent over their rivals.
The 26-year-old South h African, double defending Olympic 800m champion and nd also a two-time worldworl gold medallist in the distance, waswa one of a number of women takin taking medication to lower her testosteronetestos level until 2015 when the Cour Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) suspen suspended an IAAF rule that enforced a l limit on naturally occurring levels. Semenya has studiouslys avoided the controvers controversy, instead concentrating on herh track performances andan she won a bronze in the highlyh competitive 1500m1500 at the world champscham in London on Monday.Mo “T h o s e a re t h e things,th the issues, thatth I don’t focus on. It’sI not my business,n it’s their businen s s ,” Semenya insisted.i
“Those are the writings that I’ve being seeing since 2009,” she said of a particularly unsavoury moment in her career after winning gold in the Berlin worlds in 2009.
‘Not even bothered’
Questions were asked of her sex after that storming victory preceded by an incredible athletic progression, and she ended up spending 11 months on the sidelines when the IAAF conducted that verification process.
“Sometimes, you get annoyed or you get bored,” she said of the saga that has raised its head once again, insisting it was not her problem.
“For me, it’s the past. Whoever deals with it, it’s their business, not mine.
“I’m not even bothered. I’m the kind of person who doesn’t really focus on more negativity. I’m a positive person and I look at things in a positive way.
“Obviously, as a human – you understand? – you get to a point where you just focus on you. I don’t work for the IAAF. I’m Caster Semenya, I’m an athlete, I focus more on my future.
“For me, they do their job, I do my job. I have no problem with such things. Such situations are just a waste of time for me.”
When asked whether she would comply if the IAAF ruled that she once again take medication to lower her testosterone levels, Semenya (pictured, AFP) said: “I’ve no time for nonsense. Medication or no medication. For me, it’s their own decisions. I really don’t have time for nonsense.”
After winning 1500m bronze behind Kenyan winner Faith Kipyegon and silver medallist Jennifer Simpson of the US, Semenya will focus on her preferred 800m, no doubt readying herself for a fresh bout of questioning.