IAAF Says South African Runner Caster Semenya is Biologically Male

Details about the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) submission in a case filed by South African runner Caster Semenya at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) have emerged.

The details were revealed in a 163-page detailed verdict delivered by the Switzerland-based court in May and released on Tuesday.

In its submission, the athletics governing body argued that Semenya is "biologically male" to justify the reason why it wants her to take medication to reduce her testosterone.

The double 800m Olympic champion responded to these claims by stating that being described as biologically male "hurts more than I can put in words." 

The 28-year-old further said she could not express how insulted she felt at the IAAF "telling me that I am not a woman."

CAS had previously made public only short excerpts of the final verdict when it was announced last month.

"There are some contexts where biology has to trump identity," IAAF argued.

The IAAF won the case at CAS by a 2-1 majority of the panel of judges, allowing it to implement the testosterone-reducing rules.

CAS ruled that the new IAAF rules were "discriminatory" but "necessary" to ensure fairness in women's athletics.

In the new regulations, IAAF requires female athletes with high levels of testosterone to either take a daily contraceptive pill, a monthly hormone-blocking injection, or undergo surgery.

The rules targets athletes with differences in sexual development (DSDs) competing in events ranging from 400 meters to a mile.

In a statement on Tuesday, Semenya accused the IAAF of treating her like a human guinea pig.

She claimed that the world athletics' governing body used her in the past to experiment with testosterone-reducing drugs.

"The IAAF used me in the past as a human guinea pig to experiment with how the medication they required me to take would affect my testosterone levels," said Semenya.

"Even though the hormonal drugs made me feel constantly sick, the IAAF now wants to enforce even stricter thresholds with unknown health consequences," Semenya said.

"I will not allow the IAAF to use me and my body again. But I am concerned that other female athletes will feel compelled to let the IAAF drug them and test the effectiveness and negative health effects of different hormonal drugs. This cannot be allowed to happen."

Last week, Switzerland Supreme court temporarily suspended the new IAAF rules pending the hearing and determination of an appeal filed by Semenya.