(ATR) Caster Semenya is officially challenging the new IAAF rule that would force her to take medication to reduce her natural testosterone levels in order to compete.
The law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, who is representing her, said in a statement it was taking Semenya’s case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday.
Semenya, double Olympic Champion and triple World Champion in the 800 meters, competes with high levels of naturally occurring testosterone in her body. Some of her rival competitors have complained that the South African’s hyperandrogenism gives her an unfair advantage on the track. With higher than usual levels of testosterone, Semenya is prone to have more muscle mass, strength and hemoglobin, which benefits her endurance.
Under the new IAAF rules introduced in April and set to take effect on November 1, Semenya will either have to take prescribed medication to reduce her testosterone in order to compete at her events or move to longer distance running starting at 3,000 meters.
"I just want to run naturally, the way I was born. It is not fair that I am told I must change. It is not fair that people question who I am. I am Mokgadi Caster Semenya. I am a woman and I am fast," Semenya said in the Norton Rose Fulbright statement.
IAAF president Sebastian Coe staunchly defends the new hyperandrogenism rule, telling Around the Rings last month "That particular case [Semenya’s] is in response to a very specific question that we were asked about performance enhancement in testosterone. I think 15 years of work across this is enough to give the council enough comfort that these regulations are appropriate."
Coe has always made clear that nobody was suggesting Semenya had done anything wrong. He says the IAAF needs a level playing field in order for "athletes to be incentivized to make the huge commitment and sacrifice required to excel in the sport, and to inspire new generations to join the sport and aspire to the same excellence".
Written by Gerard Farekand Javier Monne
For general comments or questions,click here.
25 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
Últimas Noticias
Sinner-Alcaraz, the duel that came to succeed the three phenomenons
Table tennis: Brazil’s Bruna Costa Alexandre will be Olympic and Paralympic in Paris 2024
Rugby 7s: the best player of 2023 would only play the medal match in Paris
Rhonex Kipruto, owner of the world record for the 10000 meters on the road, was suspended for six years
Katie Ledecky spoke about doping Chinese swimmers: “It’s difficult to go to Paris knowing that we’re going to compete with some of these athletes”
