Breaking: Caster Semenya WILL challenge IAAF's new rules on hyperandrogenism

LetsRun.com wrote:

Law firm Norton Rose Fulbright said in a statement that the legal challenge would be filed on Monday at the CAS in Lausanne.

"Ms Semenya, like all athletes, is entitled to compete the way she was born without being obliged to alter her body by any medical means," Norton Rose Fulbright said.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/athletics-south-africas-semenya-challenge-iaaf-female-classification-105306953--spt.html?src=rss

So how come she can afford the $66k legal fees?

Lol.

She has some balls to go after them.

Hopefully she loses the challenge and they expand testosterone limits to even more events.

LetsRun.com wrote:

Law firm Norton Rose Fulbright said in a statement that the legal challenge would be filed on Monday at the CAS in Lausanne.

"Ms Semenya, like all athletes, is entitled to compete the way she was born without being obliged to alter her body by any medical means," Norton Rose Fulbright said.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/athletics-south-africas-semenya-challenge-iaaf-female-classification-105306953--spt.html?src=rss

Well that being the case, she loses the privilege of participation.

It would have been prudent to just officially change from “gender” based classifications to chromosomal classifications. Easier legal arguments and everyone knows what xx vs xy really means.

I agree that it is not a good idea to have athletes taking drugs they don’t need for life, so I don’t like the hormonal therapy option. Plus even with therapy many of the ancillary advantages of having male Chromosomes beyond testosterone still exist.

That said I think if CAS rules against the IAAF they should just ignore the ruling, basically telling CAS that they don’t understand the sport and therefore are inadequate to adjudicate a proper decision. Because seriously if CAS doesn’t understand that greater height, lower fat, better blood, more muscle, better running hips, no pregnancy and no cyclical blood loss creates an advantage, there is no use even arguing. The decision is political, and the politicians are more than willing to destroy women’s mid-distance running in the name of there agenda. I mean look at the joke that Connecticut HS Track right now.

She doesn't have to take hormones to compete, though, right?

She only needs to take hormones if she wants to compete with non-intersex women who have typical testosterone levels.

Should have been outright ban wrote:

It would have been prudent to just officially change from “gender” based classifications to chromosomal classifications. Easier legal arguments and everyone knows what xx vs xy really means.

I generally agree, but it should be based specifically on the presence of an SRY gene, as a translocation of the SRY onto an X chromosome can result in someone who is male in every way despite technically being XX.

Personally, I'm glad she's protesting. While I do not agree that the playing field is fair, I think she should protest and try to fight it, regardless of how the outcome turns out for her. I would lose more respect if she took the ruling and then complained about "that's not fair!" later when she's competing WITHOUT attempting to fight it. I understand her view point.

I think this case opens up a big can of worms. I'm really curious on how it will end up and how the sport will change as a result.

I'm glad she's fighting it.

Should have been outright ban wrote:

I agree that it is not a good idea to have athletes taking drugs they don’t need for life, so I don’t like the hormonal therapy option. Plus even with therapy many of the ancillary advantages of having male Chromosomes beyond testosterone still exist.

.

She does't and won't be taking the stuff for life.

1) You don't have to compete if you don't want to

2) the moment she takes the drugs she's no longer world class so there is no reason to take them.

The helicopter video is funny but off as it's not quite that simple. If I had a child that was born without a penis, I'd assume they were female. This is far from the CT HS situation.

I'm proud of her for being a powerful woman - unfortunately based on her genetics I don't thinks she should be allowed to be a world class athlete in the women's category. If she wants to run 1:55 in some all-comers meets or men's competition, I'm all for it.

It's a sad situation all around. She is very articulate and humble. Circumstances beyond her control. Without being critical of the situation, it has allowed the bar to be raised very high in the women's 800. I do think she is fearful to run 'all out' in a race because of how much she would go under the questionable 800 record.

asicsmiler wrote:

It's a sad situation all around. She is very articulate and humble. Circumstances beyond her control. Without being critical of the situation, it has allowed the bar to be raised very high in the women's 800. I do think she is fearful to run 'all out' in a race because of how much she would go under the questionable 800 record.

I agree. It really does suck to be in her position. While it is extremely unfair to women who aren't intersex, I also do empathize with Caster's situation (while still feeling she should not be allowed to compete in the women's category with unchecked hormones.)

Attack Tyronecopter wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPMDCJrRpT8

I saw this video a while back. Hilarious then, hilarious now. Call me Apache!

You’re assuming all she cares about is competing world class. What if her highest priority is being able to compete as her social gender? So she can feel like she’s a part of that gender socially? In that case she’d rather be competing in all comers meets as a 2:07 woman on hormone therapy than as a 1:55 man off it

Runnersworld83 wrote:

You’re assuming all she cares about is competing world class. What if her highest priority is being able to compete as her social gender? So she can feel like she’s a part of that gender socially? In that case she’d rather be competing in all comers meets as a 2:07 woman on hormone therapy than as a 1:55 man off it

Yet another angle to consider! Appreciate all the input so far. We pretty much all agree that it's 'complicated'. Seems like now that we've had a few years to digest this situation, more of us are seeing it as an unfair advantage whereas when all this first came to light, we were more of the, "C'mon give the girl a break, bad enough she was born with this condition." Hoping for the best outcome for all involved even if that now means Caster cannot compete against other women without putting a lid on some of that testosterone.

This issue brought a few considerations to my mind:

* What if a man is born with some condition that gives him twice the testosterone of any other man on the planet? Would we force him to reduce his testosterone? What if a man is born with a substantial physical advantage over all other men, to the point were he is almost inhuman? Would he be allowed to compete?

* If it is one's right to compete in the category that one considers him/herself a member of without having to take hormone therapy, as Semenya argues, then does that not also include all transgenders? ie. should not full males now be able to compete as females without undergoing hormone therapy? By what rules is Semenya classified as "female" and able to compete as "female" under the current system?

* What if a human is born with webbed feet and hands and becomes a competitive swimmer? Do we force him to undergoe surgery? Are not all people born with subtle physical advantages of one or another? What about tall basketball players? Are they not at an advantage?

* What is genetic engineering going to do to the world of athletics?

What if a man is born with some condition that gives him twice the testosterone of any other man on the planet? Would we force him to reduce his testosterone?

NO

What if a man is born with a substantial physical advantage over all other men, to the point were he is almost inhuman? Would he be allowed to compete?

YES. That is pretty much the world class.

Female is an intentionally lower category to allow females a chance at winning. Their athletic disadvantages compared to men are numerous. If a female, completely female, with female equipment and can have babies, has high naturally-occurring testosterone - that person shouldn't have to reduce their testosterone. But if they aren't completely female and don't have the skeletal/organic disadvantages, they should just be ineligible for the class and hormone treatment shouldn't even be an option.