Testosterone regulations in women’s athletics
The IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) is the governing body for any athletics sports; track and field, race walking, road running, country running and mountain running.
Since 2011 the IAAF have been targeting black women and/or women of African heritage with their new testosterone band. Essentially women with high levels of testosterone were not allowed to run in certain events.
2019 Court Battle & Controversy During The 2016 Rio Olympics
In May 2019 the IAAF won their court battle against Caster Semenya who was determined to have an overly high amount of testosterone. During the 2016 Rio Olympics “Competitors Lynsey Sharp and Joanna Jóźwik spoke out about their belief that Semenya has a competitive advantage, Jóźwik (who finished fifth) reportedly claimed that she was the “first European” and “second white” to finish the race, putting into doubt not just Semenya’s gold medal result but also that of the (also African) silver and bronze medallist, who were not known at the time to have hyperandrogenism.” (Wikipedia )
Europeans Are Frustrated & Feels Threatened
Europeans and whites overall have been struggling in sprint and other athletic races for decades. The Testosterone ban was only recently created after white women starting complaining about black women winning.
Christine Mboma
The latest victim to this new rule is Namibian athlete Christine Mboma who had previously twice broken a world U20 record in April 2021. She is the first Namibian to win an Olympic medal. Due to the testosterone ban she is not allowed to run in other events such as 100m and 200m races. This will limit her potential to earn more medals and money.
Annet Negasa & Maximila Imali
Other victims of this new rule are: Annet Negesa and Maximila Imali, both black women with African descent. “”Negesa’s bright future quickly darkened from that point. She headed to a specialist hospital in the south of France, the name of which was provided by the IAAF. There, she underwent a medical assessment that involved a further blood test and an MRI scan. Again, Negesa says she didn’t understand what was happening, nor was she given any paperwork. “No one gave me advice … like: ‘If you do this, you’ll get this later.’ No one explained to me what the consequences are.”” CNN
In 2019 it was ruled that the IAAF testosterone tests were unscientific. Numerous experts in the medical field have determined the tests to be non credible.
Sources
CNN
Wikipedia
