The weight lifters had the highest testosterone, and scored highest on a measure of “explosive” strength. But testosterone was found to be unrelated to other kinds of strength — “maximum” and “power” — and negatively related to “endurance” strength. In other words, for most sports, testosterone levels do not correlate with superior performance. The athletics association insists that Semenya can still compete, as long as she undergoes medically unnecessary interventions to lower her testosterone level. The association underplays the risk of such measures, saying women with high testosterone can lower their levels dramatically by taking an oral contraceptive.

Source: International New York Times May 03, 2019 09:56 UTC