Caster crisis: lower testosterone, or change classification?

A NEW impending storm could soon erupt around the participation of South Africa’s Caster Semenya in IAAF events as the world athletics governing body plans to introduce new regulations governing the eligibility of females with hyperandrogenism.

Semenya might now be forced to take medication to lower her testosterone level to compete in the 800m or else focus on longer distances.

The IAAF council last month approved a proposal to limit naturally produced testosterone for women who participate in distances from 400m up to one mile (1.6km).

The IAAF first introduced new rules in 2011 which allowed females with hyperandrogenism to compete in the “women’s competition in athletics provided she has androgen levels below the male range”.

The new regulations target Semenya directly or indirectly with her regularly participating over all three distances.

She has been a dominant force in her specialist 800m since CAS suspended the IAAF regulations and has recently been making inroads in the 1 500m.

Semenya has been the dominant force in the two-lap event, going unbeaten in 22 finals, including at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and last year’s World Championships in London.

Arguably South Africa’s greatest female track athlete of all time, Semenya became only the third woman to win the 800/1 500m double gold at this year’s Commonwealth Games.

The Irish Times also revealed that the new regulations will be adopted for a separate female classification, which will be known as Athlete with Differences of Sexual Development (or DSDs).

Women with DSDs will be allowed to compete in national competitions from the 400 metres up to the mile, in male or “intersex” classified races, without the limitations of the new regulations.