Navratilova sides with Semenya over gender rule

London, February 18

Tennis great Martina Navratilova has come to the defence of Olympics 800m champion Caster Semenya ahead of next week’s landmark hearing on proposed rules that aim to restrict testosterone levels in female athletes. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has proposed rules that would force so-called “hyperandrogenic” athletes or those with “differences of sexual development” (DSD) to medically lower their testosterone levels below a prescribed amount.

Track and field’s global governing body wants to introduce the rule changes in order to promote what it says will be fairer competition between all female athletes. But South Africa’s middle-distance star Semenya, the most high-profile athlete who would be affected by such an alteration to the rule book, is challenging the legality of the IAAF’s proposals in a case which will be heard at the Court of Arbitration (CAS) in Lausanne from Monday.

Significantly, the change would only apply to female athletes competing in distances from 400m to a mile — a point highlighted by 18-time Grand Slam singles champion Navratilova in a column in Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper.

“Leaving out sprints and longer distances seems to me to be a clear case of 

discrimination by targeting Semenya,” Navratilova wrote. “And can it be right to order athletes to take medication? What if the long-term effects proved harmful?

“Semenya’s case will come up tomorrow before the Court of Arbitration for Sport. It is expected to last a week and the outcome is expected by March 29. I hope she wins,” wrote Navratilova.

Semenya, the Olympics 800m gold medallist at both the London and Rio Games, is also a three-time world champion. 

Semenya accuses IAAF of breach of regulations 

Caster Semenya has said that IAAF breached confidentiality regulations ahead of her appeal hearing on Monday where she is fighting for her athletics future. Semenya believes IAAF breached confidentiality rules of the hearing after they released the names of five expert witnesses they will bring to CAS to testify on their behalf. — Agencies