South Africans rally behind Caster Semenya
South Africans have rallied behind Olympic 800-metre champion Caster Semenya ahead of an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) decision on Thursday with regards to hyperandrogenism.
The IAAF will publish new rules to prevent women with the condition, which produces higher than normal levels of testosterone, from taking part in athletics.
The governing body deems those who have the condition have an unfair advantage when they run. Semenya may be forced to take medication to control her testosterone. Sports scientist Dr Ross Tucker has described the policy as malicious.
“The ultimate hype is incompetence or maliciousness. It looks from outside that they had said right let’s figure out which events we need to include in our policy so that Caster Semenya doesn’t run. I find it very difficult that a group of lawyers, scientists and officials can sit around the table and say how do we stop Semenya from running.”
— Caster Semenya (@caster800m) April 6, 2018
It's appalling that IAAF reportedly wants to force Caster Semenya to either take drugs to lower her testosterone levels or compete in longer distances. This is yet another way of oppressing women, especially strong African women who are outperforming the rest. pic.twitter.com/eW12PXlOAj
— Ulrich Janse van Vuuren (@UlrichJvV) April 25, 2018
This is preposterous! International Association of Athletics Federation requiring women who have levels of natural #testosterone above a certain level to either medically reduce levels or compete in men’s field #athletics #sports #CasterSemenya
https://t.co/FW5AvfZxGD— Tshema (@NashTshema) April 25, 2018