Inside Story

Did new athletics rules unfairly target Caster Semenya?

Olympic and World Champion runner considers her future after IAAF ruling on testosterone levels.

Caster Semenya is an inspiration to many women around the world.

However, the South African Olympic and world champion athlete is accused of having an unfair advantage, because her body naturally produces more male sex hormones than most females.

To stay in the race, she’s going to have to change her life.

She lost a legal challenge against the governing body of world athletics, which issued a new rule forcing her to take drugs to lower her testosterone levels.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport admits the regulation is discriminatory, but says it’s necessary.

Is the decision fair?

Or is it needed to ensure a level playing field in elite sport?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Silvia Camporesi – Senior lecturer in bioethics and society, King’s College London

John Brewer – Professor of applied sports science, Buckinghamshire New University

Julian Savulescu – Director of Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford