Caster Semenya, who won Olympic gold at the 2012 and 2016 Games, has not raced at elite level since World Athletics introduced rules requiring DSD individuals to suppress their testosterone levels. Between 50 and 60 athletes who went through male puberty have been finalists in the female category in global and continental track and field championships since 2000, according to a senior World Athletics official. World Athletics has introduced SRY screening, a gene test that uses a cheek swab to assess if someone is biologically male or female, for the world championships in Tokyo. “Everyone is watching World Athletics and we are leading in this area,” Bermon said before telling his audience that there were “approximately 50-60 cases of DSD in athletics”. “The philosophy that we hold dear in World Athletics is the protection and the promotion of the integrity of women’s sport,” Lord Coe said.

Source: The Irish Times September 20, 2025 03:46 UTC