Gender row runner Caster Semenya’s has hit back at the ‘haters’ following a debate over whether she should compete in Rio.
Semenya is favourite to win gold in the 800m women’s race, which starts tonight, but her appearance at the Games is engulfed in controversy.
The 25-year-old has faced objection to her competition in Rio because she has a condition that means her testosterone levels are far higher than normal – it means she has no womb or ovaries but and because, of a chromosomal abnormality, she has internal testes.
Controversy: South African sprinter Caster Semenya goes for gold in the women’s 800m, which starts with heats in Rio today. But her inclusion in the race is controversial because, although born female, she has testosterone levels three times higher than most women
Furore: Semenya has no ovaries and high levels of testosterone, which has led to objections to her involvement in the women’s 800m. Pictured: with new wife Violet Raseboya
Anger: Semenya has a rare condition called ‘hyperandrogenism’, which leaves her with testosterone levels three times higher than is expected in women
Semenya was forced to undergo the humiliation of gender testing by athletics ruling body the IAAF in 2009 after she recorded extremely quick times
She was controversially forced to undergo gender testing by athletics ruling body, the IAAF, following a successful season in 2009, due to a rare condition – ‘hyperandrogenism’, which leaves her with testosterone levels three times higher than is expected in women.
Now Semenya’s supporters in South Africa are supporting their hero with hashtags #HandsOffCaster and #GoCaster campaigns trending on social media.
And Caster herself has taken to Instagram to goad her detractors. ‘Dear Haters, I have so much more for you to be mad at. Just be patient,’ she wrote.
Her supporter soap star Rami Chuene has demanded to know why she shouldn’t be allowed to challenge the record set by Czech Jarmila Kratochvilova more than three decades ago.
Springing to the runner’s defence, #GoCaster fans have accused detractors of being sexist and racist – pointing out the physical advantages enjoyed by the American swimmer Michael Phelps, who has size 14 feet and unnaturally flexible ankles.
During London 2012 she won silver in the 800m taking suppressants to lower her testosterone levels – on the orders of the IAAF.
But last year, an Indian athlete successfully challenged its mandatory treatment for hyperandrogenism, and the rule was subsequently dropped – meaning that 2016 is the first Olympics that Semenya will compete in without having taken testosterone suppressants.
Since being allowed to compete with unfettered hormone levels, Semenya has clocked some of the fastest times in the world and never looked stronger.
In April she won the 400m, 800m and 1,500m at the South African national championships in just one afternoon – and ran her personal best in the 800m last month – leaving her hot favourite for gold in Rio with a possibility of her breaking the world record.
During London 2012 Semenya, pictured on her Instagram account, won silver in the 800m taking suppressants to lower her testosterone levels – on the orders of the IAAF
But last year, an Indian athlete successfully challenged its mandatory treatment for hyperandrogenism, and the rule was subsequently dropped – meaning that 2016 is the first Olympics that Semenya will compete in without having taken testosterone suppressants
Since being allowed to compete with unfettered hormone levels, Semenya has clocked some of the fastest times in the world and never looked stronger
In April she won the 400m, 800m and 1,500m at the South African national championships in just one afternoon – and ran her personal best in the 800m last month
The quick times in recent months have left Semenya red hot favourite for gold in Rio with a possibility of her breaking the world record
But Semenya’s controversial involvement in the competition at all running against other women with normal hormone levels has split opinion.
Even former Team GB marathon star Paula Radcliffe waded into the row when she said Semenya’s inclusion might encourage other countries to seek out female competitors with high testosterone levels to compete.
World record holder and BBC pundit Radcliffe also said her inclusion compromised the value of the 800m.
‘When we talk about it in terms of fully expecting no other result than Caster Semenya to win that 800m, then it’s no longer sport. There is an issue that needs to be understood a lot better.
‘It’s a very complex subject and Caster should not be called out on this the whole time, she has done nothing wrong and the way her case was dealt with originally by the IAAF wasn’t fair. It’s not just Caster’s rights but all the women with elevated testosterone that need to be balanced with those that don’t.’
Radcliffe fears victory for Semenya could spark a recruitment drive from some nations in geographical areas she claims have a high number of women with hyperandrogenism.
‘What concerns me is we’ve seen the lengths countries like Russia will go to to have major success on the world stage and on the Olympic stage,’ Radcliffe told BBC 5 Live.
‘We know there are communities where the condition of intersex and hyperandrogenism is more prevalent. We don’t want people going to those communities to seek out girls, then take them away and train them.’
But Semenya’s controversial involvement in the competition at all running against other women with normal hormone levels has split opinion
Former Team GB marathon star Paula Radcliffe waded into the row over Semenya’s inclusion in the event
She said Semenya’s inclusion might encourage other countries like Russia to seek out female competitors with high testosterone levels to compete
‘What concerns me is we’ve seen the lengths countries like Russia will go to to have major success on the world stage and on the Olympic stage,’ Radcliffe told BBC 5 Live.
‘When we talk about it in terms of fully expecting no other result than Caster Semenya to win that 800m, then it’s no longer sport. There is an issue that needs to be understood better.’
Social media users have launched a campaign in support of Semenya. One shared these images Czech Jarmila Kratochvílov, who got the 800m world record in 1983 – and say she looks like Hugh Grant
The popular Johannesburg-based actress cheekily posted that she had first thought the track shots of the well built Kratochvilova were in fact of ‘Hugh Grant in a yet to be released movie’.
Her observation was picked up by scores of her fans who added their own emoticons and observations about the striking similarity between the British film star and the 1983 Czech medal winner.
Semenya, who is from a poor, rural pocket in the north west of South Africa, has become used to dealing with the indignity of having her personal appearance and most personal health issues scrutinised in the harsh glare of international publicity.
When she was first tested by sports officials in 2009, she had presumed it was a routine doping test. The report of the inquiry was later leaked, revealing she had been secretly sex-tested and had been born with internal male sex organs, but no womb or ovaries.
Devastated, the young runner went into hiding as critics picked over her deep voice, every picture of her physique, her unshaved armpits and her choice of training wear.
Semenya later said in a statement, ‘I have been subjected to unwarranted and invasive scrutiny of the most intimate and private details of my being.’
When questions were first raised about her gender with critics citing her deep voice, her muscular physique and unshaved armpits, Semenye went into hiding
But recently she has found her smile again as she married fellow athlete Violet Raseboya and now she is hitting back at her ‘haters’ who she says will have a long wait for her downfall
And Semenya’s fans in South Africa are getting behind their hero campaigns and hashtags like #HandsOffCaster and #GoCaster trending on social media
In recent months, however, Semenya – a keen football fan – has done anything but hide from her critics, winning races in record times and announcing her marriage to her long time girlfriend and fellow athlete Violet Raseboya.
She is now even baiting her critics on social media platforms, warning them there will be no good news for them anytime soon.
Read More: Caster Semenya fans launch #HandsOffCaster Twitter bid
