Sports Focus

SPORT Spotlight on: Caster Semenya

After studying performance-enhancing drugs in A-level PE, I took a particular interest in Caster Semenya, an incredible athlete who has, unfortunately, been caught up in major trials that concern her sex.

Who is Caster Semenya?

Mokgadi Caster Semenya (born January 7th, 1991), is a South-African middle-distance runner. Her typical events include 400m, 800m, 1000m and 1500m. She was born in Ga-Masehlong, a village in South Africa, and grew up in the village in Fairlie with her three sisters and brother. Her love of running began due to her participation in association football.

Her Early Career

In July 2008, Semenya participated in the 2008 World Junior Championships in the 800m and did not qualify for the finals. Yet, at the Commonwealth Finals later that year, she won gold in the 800m with a time of 2:04.23. In 2009, Semenya ran in the African Junior Championships, winning both the 800m and 1500m, with the times of 1:56/72 and 4:08.01 respectively. In this race, Semenya had improved her 800m personal best by seven seconds in less than nine months. Her time was both the national and championship record. In August 2009, she won gold again in the 800m at the World Championships with a time of 1:55.45, setting the fastest time of the year. In December 2009, Track and Field News voted Semenya the number 1 800m runner of the year.

Testing and its surrounding controversy

Following her wins and numerous records, questions were raised about her gender. Her vast improvement in such little time came under scrutiny. The combination of her appearance and rapid athletic progression culminated in World Athletics (previously IAAF) asking her to take a sex verification test to confirm whether she was female. The IAAF said that it was “obliged to investigate” after her improvements as they were named “the sort of breakthroughs that arouse suspicion of drug use”. It was rumoured that she lacked ovaries or a womb whilst having internal testes, contributing to her higher levels of the male hormone testosterone. The test results were never issued publicly, but some were leaked by the press claiming that Semenya had intersex traits. Throughout this process, she had been stripped of her civil liberties, been publicly shamed and humiliated by the media and its hysteria.

Reaction

The IAAF’s handling of the case had been met with many negative responses and enormous backlash. Michael Johnson, a retired sprinter, criticised the IAAF for its response to the situation. In light of claims that were made, Semenya was barred from competing for the South African national team and was told to take medication to lower her levels of testosterone. She was advised to do this by hormone shots, taking birth control, or even surgery. Now, Semenya remains banned from competing in races that are anywhere from 400m to a mile.