Opinion | Caster Semenya castigated: is the IAAF right to clamp down on the sensational South African over advantageous genetics?

South Africa has condemned it, Canada has demanded a review while an Indian sprinter blasted it as just “wrong”. 

Caster Semenya, the South African middle-distance runner who has won multiple gold medals at the Olympics and world championships, will have to reduce her naturally high levels of testosterone if she continues to compete at international events.

The governing body of world athletics announced there would be a separate classification for athletes who have a difference of sexual development (DSD). Beginning on November 1, DSD athletes will be required to reduce their blood testosterone levels if they want to compete internationally. 

It will limit entry for all international events to women with testosterone levels below a specified level. The rule applies to events from 400 metres to the mile, including hurdles races, 800m, 1,500m and combined events over the same distances.

South Africa’s parliament said the new regulations were “unjust, sexist, dehumanising” and should be condemned by all human rights proponents, while Canada’s athletics federation said it “believes in the principles of inclusion, respect and health and safety and we encourage the full access for all Canadians to participate and compete in athletics, at every level of our sport, free of discrimination”. It also called for a vigorous review.