Running a Race - Who Would Have Thought It Was So Complicated?

Caster Semenya, a two time Olympic champion from South Africa has just "lost" her battle with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the highest court in international sports. Semenya, who has won two gold medals in the 800 metres event was born with a higher than normal level of testosterone in her system. This higher level has meant that she has slightly stronger bones and more muscle mass than her fellow competitors. She, therefore, is more likely to win in races against other women. Her higher hormone levels do not mean that she wins easily or without hours and hours of daily workouts. She has never tested positive for any synthetic drugs.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled that if she wants to compete at an international level, she must take medication that will reduce her levels of testosterone. Ignoring for a moment the somewhat paradoxical notion that a ruling body of international sports, a group who have consistently chastised athletes who take drugs to change their hormone levels - have suggested that someone take a drug to change their hormone levels, one needs to consider if Semenya's and perhaps other similar athletes' human rights have been violated.

Within the Western World, there is a general movement to recognize people who are different in terms of gender or sexually from what has been perceived as the norm. It is a difficult conversation but there is ample proof that we, as a whole, are getting better at accepting people for what they are. Suggesting that Semenya needs to take a drug to make her more like "us" just feels wrong.

On the other hand - if I was an 18-year-old female athlete who had won every 800-metre event at the provincial and perhaps national level and was considering whether or not I would pursue a life as an international athlete, I would have to wonder if it was worth it. No matter how hard I worked, no matter what sacrifices I would make, I would know that if at the major international events Semenya was competing, I might never win a gold medal. It would not be a matter of who trained harder or who had better coaches, Semenya would win because of increased testosterone levels in her system. And that would feel unfair.

I would understand that young woman's frustration. In fact, I might even want to argue that I should be allowed to increase my testosterone levels so that the playing field is level. If I was that young woman's dad, I might ask her if it all of the hard work would be worth it if the dream that fuelled that dream was a gold medal.
I am not sure if there is a solution to this discussion. I certainly do not have one. I know that we should not force people to change who and what they are. I also know that while I have no interest in international sports, and I have never had a desire to compete at anything close to that level - for some people it is important that they do. As much as I am uncomfortable with people conforming to the norm, I am equally uncomfortable taking dreams away from people.