New IAAF female rule: Reduce high testosterone level or join men to compete

The International Association of Athletics Federation, IAAF, has released new regulations to govern the eligibility of female athletes hoping to compete in its future events.

According to a press release made public earlier today by the track and field governing body, the regulation is targeted at female athletes with high testosterone levels competing in the long distance races including 400m, hurdles races, 800m, 1500m, one mile races and others.

According to the new law, it is required for “any athlete who has a Difference of Sexual Development (DSD) that means her levels of circulating testosterone (in serum) are five (5) nmol/L or above and who is androgen-sensitive” to meet certain criteria before being allowed to compete in IAAF-sponsored events.

This would come as a big blow to South African athlete and world 800 metres champion, Caster Semanya. The 27-year old Polokwane-born athlete recently won gold in both 800m and 1500m races at the just concluded Commonwealth games.

The Olympic gold medalist declared afterwards she was considering switching to longer distance races, and these new regulations would seem targeted at her.

The International body views abnormal hormonal levels in female athletes as an unfair advantage to their peers, therefore, key points in the IAAF rules mandates that a female athlete must:

(a) be recognised at law either as female or as intersex (or equivalent);

(b) reduce her blood testosterone level to below five (5) nmol/L for a continuous period of at least six months (e.g., by use of hormonal contraceptives); and

(c) thereafter maintain her blood testosterone level below five (5) nmol/L continuously (ie: whether she is in competition or out of competition) for so long as she wishes to remain eligible.

The regulations further stated that female athletes who would choose not to lower their abnormal hormonal levels would still be eligible to compete in restricted female events, international male events and available intersex events.

Females are supposed to have low level of testosterone (0.12 to 1.79 nmol/L), a male hormone, in their blood stream and presence of about 5 nmol/L is seen as an anomaly.

Semanya had her sexual orientation questioned and was forced to undergo gender test among others in 2009 after IAAF noted rapid improvements in her track record, combined with unusual physique. Indian 100 m athlete, Dutee Chand was dropped from the 2014 Commonwealth Games after tests returned her testosterone levels to be abnormally high.

These new rules were agreed in March and would come into effect from November 1, 2018.