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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Female Namibian runners change events due to too high testosterone

451 replies

KevinBaconsJeans · 02/08/2021 07:55

Just spotted this on my newsfeed and very confused. I've seen on another post that there is no maximum limit for women's natural testosterone. So does that mean that this BBC article is lying by omission about the sex of the runners to create a story that isn't true?

It talks about two Namibian runners who have had to switch to different events because they have high T...

www.bbc.com/sport/africa/58029941

Extract:
Her initial excitement at an Olympic qualification however was crushed when she was informed by World Athletics that she would not be able to compete in the 400m event at the Games due to high levels of testosterone.

"In the beginning I was very down, you can't come and tell me now I am not a woman. That is really frustrating and gets me on my nerves but there's nothing we can do about it at the moment," she told BBC Sport Africa...

"It is really unfair because you cannot expect everyone to be the same, everyone to have the same abilities, we are born with different abilities, we can't be the same it doesn't make sense."

Masilingi was only informed in July by World Athletics that her testosterone levels were beyond the allowed limit for female athletes wanting to run in distances from 400m to one mile, unless they medically lower their testosterone for a period of at least six months

OP posts:
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AuntyFungal · 03/08/2021 09:27

@heathspeedwell

Sharron Davies has spoken about scouts specifically searching for DSD athletes. £££

First hand experience of ‘competing’ against doped women.
Not much has changed, except the rules of the game!

AnyOldPrion · 03/08/2021 09:51

There are multiple studies showing that those with CAIS are, on average, taller than women with XX chromosomes. All the studies call them women, however.

DuncinToffee · 03/08/2021 13:36

The 200m final is on soon, 13:50 UK time.

weebarra · 03/08/2021 13:51

Why, if it's not important and they aren't at an advantage , do the commentators keep referring to 'DSD' athletes?

notagermannoun · 03/08/2021 13:54

@AnyOldPrion

There are multiple studies showing that those with CAIS are, on average, taller than women with XX chromosomes. All the studies call them women, however.
Benjamin Boyce did a very interesting with the singer Dalea Rundblad, who has CAIS. .

Although they have a male skeletal structure and are taller and tend to have flatter chests, they are naturally deficient in testosterone and struggle to build muscle, so perhaps the IOC views this as a trade-off?

NotBadConsidering · 03/08/2021 13:56

Silver medal for a male in the women’s 200m final.

viques · 03/08/2021 13:56

Well done Elaine.

weebarra · 03/08/2021 13:58

Elaine - 2nd fastest woman ever!

viques · 03/08/2021 13:58

“They have a male skeletal structure” now why would that be I wonder.

DuncinToffee · 03/08/2021 13:58

And Gaby Thomas

MavisBeaconTeachesTaiChi · 03/08/2021 14:01

Michael Johnson not looking totally thrilled that Gabby Logan just tossed him the 'the DSD issues' explanation hot potato.

Ekofisk · 03/08/2021 14:02

Surely those higher T levels are going to contribute to more fast twitch muscle, extra haemoglobin, more lean muscle mass etc - ideal for shorter distances where you need explosive power?

Lordamighty · 03/08/2021 14:03

@weebarra

Why, if it's not important and they aren't at an advantage , do the commentators keep referring to 'DSD' athletes?
The commentators will be banned from speaking out about the DSD athletes. Michael Johnson is the only one brave enough to make the distinction between them & the rest of the field. If their testosterone was too high for the 400m then the same rules need to be applied to the other distances, it’s an utter disgrace.
thelastgoldeneagle · 03/08/2021 14:04

I just posted this on the Olympics topic:

Just watched the women's 200m final. Silver was won by Christine Mboma, who was going to compete in the 400m but wasn't allowed to because of DSD - but doesn't this mean she's biologically male??

Surely her coach knew this??

And so she's being training for the 200m and manages to get silver after a few weeks? How is this fair?

I saw this - www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/02/masilingi-and-mboma-racing-against-olympic-elite-and-complex-cruelty - but this seems pretty biased...

ElizabethG81 · 03/08/2021 14:05

@thelastgoldeneagle

I just posted this on the Olympics topic:

Just watched the women's 200m final. Silver was won by Christine Mboma, who was going to compete in the 400m but wasn't allowed to because of DSD - but doesn't this mean she's biologically male??

Surely her coach knew this??

And so she's being training for the 200m and manages to get silver after a few weeks? How is this fair?

I saw this - www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/02/masilingi-and-mboma-racing-against-olympic-elite-and-complex-cruelty - but this seems pretty biased...

It's not fair, it's disgusting that they've allowed this. I'm so angry on behalf of Gabby Thomas and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
DuncinToffee · 03/08/2021 14:08

Yes Michael Johnson looked uncomfortable there, he also kept emphasising beforehand that they weren't able to proof the advantage for the 100 and 200m like they could for the 400 and 800.

viques · 03/08/2021 14:09

@MavisBeaconTeachesTaiChi

Michael Johnson not looking totally thrilled that Gabby Logan just tossed him the 'the DSD issues' explanation hot potato.
And his response was that the advantage to runners in the 200 “hasn’t been proved”. The same advantage that has been proved in the 400, the 800......

I wonder what his response would have been in his running days if another runner had stood next to him on the starting blocks with a huge genetic and physical advantage and run him into the ground. I bet the speed of appeals put in would have beaten all previous records. But of course, DSD athletes don’t bother the men’s events do they.

I have lost all respect for him . Stand up for sport not back door cheats.

ElizabethG81 · 03/08/2021 14:09

I wish the commentators would actually explain what they mean by "DSD". They just keep referring to DSD athletes, but fail to say that this means they have a Y chromosome.

littlbrowndog · 03/08/2021 14:09

Silver medal and a record.

How not allowed to run in the 400 metres. Yet running in the 200 metres

How is this fair and logical

Women missing out again

NotBadConsidering · 03/08/2021 14:10

The Guardian article is an abomination.

Ekofisk · 03/08/2021 14:11

weren't able to proof the advantage for the 100 and 200m like they could for the 400 and 800

Yeah, because it’s best to base your policy on a study comprising 8 self-reporting non-elite athletes produced by someone with a vested interest.

ElizabethG81 · 03/08/2021 14:11

I think Michael Johnson's probably saying as much as the BBC will allow him to say. Most athletes can surely see that this is wrong.

Jaysmith71 · 03/08/2021 14:12

Eurosport have got with the Programme. The Nambian coming second is 'marvellous news.'

megletthesecond · 03/08/2021 14:13

I did think that Johnson looked a bit annoyed.

QuattroFormaggi · 03/08/2021 14:14

Found this on Twitter. Very useful about the DSD science

www.sportsintegrityinitiative.com/dsd-regulations-call-out-athletes-as-biologically-male/