IAAF running into dead-end
The International Association of Athletics Federations’ (IAAF) recent decision must be the most bizarre decision that any sporting body could ever make.
The global governing body of athletics has ordered that women with a high level of testosterone should undergo treatment to reduce it if they are to be eligible to race in sanctioned competitions.
The new regulation, which is scheduled to come into effect in November, is clearly an attempt by the IAAF to target our Caster Semenya. If not challenged successfully it could scupper Semenya’s chances of competing in future races.
Semenya has faced criticism from her jealous competitors who argue that her Hyperandrogenism gives her an advantage over them. Hyperandrogenism is described as a medical condition where females have high levels of male sex hormones like testosterone.
Obviously the IAAF claims that the new regulations are intended level the proverbial playing fields. But no matter how they may try to spin this, it is clear to the discerning pundit that targeting athletes who run any international race of 400 metres up to the mile, is an attempt to rein in Semenya who competes in that category.
Not only is the decision senseless but it is clearly intended to further humiliate Semenya - who has had to deal with abuse and questions about her gender ever since she first took to the track.
Athletics South Africa referred to the regulations as “skewed” and is determined to take the fight to the highest level if needs be.
South African law professor, Steve Cornelius, resigned from the world body’s disciplinary tribunal in protest, calling their decision “a warped ideology”.
Fortunately South Africans are not the only ones who see the injustice in the IAAF’s decision. Athletics Canada has expressed “serious concerns” about the new policy, with UK Athletics chairman, Richard Bowker, calling into question the logic behind this move. To show just how ridiculous the decision is, some athletes have likened it to a scenario where, if the the IAAF were to apply the rule to other sporting codes, they would have to trim the legs and arms of tall pole vaulters to enforce the equality rule. The IAAF should rather focus on making sure that the sport is clean and that drug cheats are weeded out.
But to try and tinker with women’s biological makeup is one step too far. It does not help that the IAAF is mostly run by men who inherently believe that they can decide what is good for female athletes. All sports loving formations should join the call for the IAAF to reverse their decision.