IAAF introduce new gender rules

The IAAF has approved new regulations regarding the eligibility of females with hyperandrogenism to compete in women's athletics.

It follows an IAAF Council rules review resulting from the gender row over South Africa's Caster Semenya.

Semenya won the 800m at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, but was then sidelined as the IAAF investigated her high testosterone levels.

The rules will be enforced from 1 May and apply to all international events.

Hyperandrogenism causes abnormally high levels of androgens [testosterone] and a female athlete with the condition could, under the previous regulations, be prevented from competing, as was the case with Semenya.

She has since returned to competition, but the episode lead to the IAAF Council commissioning a review which has taken 18 months to complete.

Testing levels for men and women differ because males naturally produce more androgens. A female athlete will be permitted to compete in women's competition if their androgen levels are below the male range.

If a female athlete has androgen levels within the male range, they may compete if they have an androgen resistance, which would reduce any competitive advantage.

The IAAF has appointed a panel of international medical experts to review cases of female athletes with hyperandrogenism. They will operate independently of the IAAF and will make recommendations to the governing body over athletes' eligibility for competition.

Tests to determine a female athlete's eligibility for competition will be conducted at one of the IAAF'S approved specialist reference centres upon referral from the expert medical panel.

Athletes referred can expect a full medical examination, and those who refuse will be banned from competing in women's athletics competition.

Female athletes with excessive levels of male sex hormones will also be subject to the new regulations at the 2012 Olympics. The IOC's medical commission has put forward principles on which to base rules on excessive male sex hormones.

IOC has also recommended that investigations into specific cases should be conducted under "strict confidentiality".

Arne Ljungqvist, IOC medical commission chair said: "There will not be many such cases. "In my experience, there have been only a handful of cases in the last 10 years. [But] they are there and they have to be dealt with in fairness for the athletes and for sport."

Ljungqvist said an investigation could be triggered by an athlete approaching medical officials on her own to seek evaluation, an athlete being identified during drug testing as having male characteristics, or a drug test showing abnormal hormone levels.

But allegations by one athlete against another would not be a cause for investigation, he said.

"We don't want to get into a situation of finger pointing," he added.

The medical commission will draw up detailed rules to be submitted for approval at the IOC's executive board meeting in Durban, South Africa, in July.

IOC worked with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to draft the proposed guidelines.

- BBC