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XPost: can.politics

CASTER SEMENYA has sparked a huge debate about who should be
allowed to compete in the Olympics after storming through to the
women's 800m final.

The 25-year-old South African runner breezed through last
night's 800m semi-finals and is tipped to win gold on Sunday.

But many are questioning whether she should be allowed to run as
a woman.

Semenya has hyperandrogenism, a condition which means her
testosterone levels are three times that of the average woman,
giving her a broad, muscular frame.

A medical report which was leaked to the press also revealed
that she has internal testes.

Then 18 years old, Semenya called the leak ”an unwarranted and
invasive scrutiny of the most intimate and private details of my
being”

Semenya identifies as female, but some argue that her hormones
give her an unfair advantage over other women – and that for the
purposes of the Olympic Games she should not be classified as
such.

Following her dominance of the 2009 World Championships, the
International Association for Athletics Federations (IIAF)
decided it would impose a limit on the levels of testosterone a
person could have in their body and be able to compete in
women’s events.

This forced Semenya to take drugs which lowered her hormone
levels, reducing her muscle mass and affecting her performance.

Though she still won silver medals in the 2011 Championships and
the London 2012 Olympics, her times were much slower that in
previous competitions.

But in July last year, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)
overturned the ruling after a complaint from Indian athlete
Dutee Chand, who has the same condition as Semanya.

CAS ruled that there is insufficient evidence to link
hyperandrogenism to a competitive advantage, freeing Semenya to
stop taking the hormone-limiting drugs.

In the months since she has had a dazzling return to form,
setting a new personal best just last month when she ran the
800m in 1:55.33 seconds.

Ross Tucker, a leading sports scientist, says her renewed
success is “proof of the benefit of testosterone to intersex
athletes”.

“Having had the restriction removed she is now about six seconds
faster than she had been the last two years,” he pointed out.

Yale senior research scientist Myron Genel argues that many
Olympians have genetic differences that make them perform
better, giving Michael Phelps’s large feet and superior
flexibility as an example.

If Semenya is banned from competing because of her biology, then
surely so should athletes such as Phelps, Genel says.

Though the gender debate is sure to continue, fans in South
Africa have rallied behind Semenya with the hashtag
#HandsOffCaster.

"No male athlete ever has had to deal with this kind of gender-
specific shaming,” tweeted Anna Aagenes.

While others professed their love for the athlete, insisting
“she is not a man”.

CAS will revisit regulations around hyperandrogenism in July
2017.

Until then, Semenya is free to compete as a woman – and will do
so in Sunday's final.

He's a fucking faggot with balls and a dick pretending to be a
woman.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/olympics/700091/rio-2016-olympics- caster-semenya-intersex-runner-gender

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