Caster Semanya: Noone wins - Claire Graham blog

[Melroses]

mirandayardley.com/en/caster-semenya-no-one-wins/

Ever the informed voice of reason.

That's an excellent piece.

One thing I'd add (as a woman with PCOS): in the absence of PCOS mean testosterone levels for women are about 1 nmol/litre, rising to about 2.5 for women with PCOS. In contrast, men's levels are between 10 and 30 nmol/litre, and the lower male end of this range, 10 (until recently the target set for transwomen to get under) is 5 sigma above the female mean (incredibly unlikely). My understanding is that Semenya's levels were comfortably into the normal male range, thus to make parallels with women with PCOS is somewhat misleading. (I don't know what the expected levels in XX women with CAH are).

Glad to hear MRKH's views. I've especially missed her today on twitter, and with so many people using her avatar, it's been confusing and disappointing to not see her there.

It's true, nobody wins.

As a male ex cyclist, I had regular blood tests done for extreme tiredness, and my T levels were around 2.5 to 3 Nmo, yet even today, my best time set in 1981 is 20 seconds quicker than an Olympic women's team pursuit champion from London 2012 on the same course just a few years ago, and she had all the areodynamic advantages which I lacked.
There is an absolute huge difference between men's and women's events, so please do not be afraid to highlight them.

She's back on twitter!

It’s not true that no one wins. The women who previously would have had no chance at all of winning a medal at 800m now have a fair competition again. They are the winners.

(Although this depends on what happens with the other athletes in this category who finished 2nd and 3rd in Rio who may be similar to Semenya).

She's back on twitter!

Yes it is good to see her back again

It’s not true that no one wins. The women who previously would have had no chance at all of winning a medal at 800m now have a fair competition again. They are the winners

Only until a Trans woman enters. And then no real female can win.

notbad good point actually - I wonder if Margaret Wambui and the third placed athlete from the Rio 800m who’s name escapes me will also be affected by this decision

www.tas-cas.org/fileadmin/user_upload/CAS_Executive_Summary__5794_.pdf

The court of arbitration said that the male / female split in sport is not intended to refect legal status but to segregate those who have had an advantage due to biology.

I hope this point makes it onto the media platforms. This should be repeated often, in every discussion on the matter.

Sadly, the XY status and the discussion of testosterone levels make a mockery of the split based on biology.