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Do inter-sex athletes have an unfair advantage?

Caster Semenya is the overwhelming favourite to win gold in the Women's 800 metres at the Olympic...



Do inter-sex athletes have an...
Golf

Do inter-sex athletes have an unfair advantage?

Caster Semenya is the overwhelming favourite to win gold in the Women's 800 metres at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this summer.

The South African is a former World Champion and won silver in London four years ago. She burst on to the scene in 2009 at the World Championships in Berlin. After the event, questions were raised about her gender.

The 21-year-old was shown to have both male and female sexual organs. Her natural testosterone is greater than other female athletes, why many contend has helped her dominate the middle-distance event.

Writing in her Irish Times column on Thursday, Olympic medallist Sonia O'Sullivan has said that Semenya and other athletes in a similar position hav an unfair advantage over their rivals.

"Intersex athletes can compete without any alteration to their higher levels of testosterone."

"It’s through no fault of their own that these athletes have been born with more male genes and hormones than female; but this doesn’t mean they can simply be classified as women, and allowed to take part in women’s events."

On Friday morning, the Irish Times athletics correspondent Ian O'Riordan spoke to the Pat Kenny Show about what may become a testing period for Semenya, despite it being no fault of her own.

"There was a rule put in place, where by it was agreed with the IAAF and IOC that intersex athletes who has testosterone above three times the normal amount you would get in a normal woman athlete".

O'Riordan says that the rule "is unfair for these athletes to compete". Testosterone "is the one marker in track and field that everyone knows will give you an advantage" he added.

"Track and field is struggling for credibility right now. This is the one thing we can potentially control"

You can listen to the full interview with Ian and DCU Law Lecturer Tanya Ni Mhuirthile below.

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