A day after the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) invited Indian sprinter Dutee Chand to participate in the World Championships, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issued an interim order on Sunday which extended the suspension of hyperandrogenism guidelines by two months. For athletes like Chand with high but naturally occurring testosterone, the CAS order means there won’t be a sword hanging over their heads while they participate at the World Championships. Though, IAAF president Sebastian Coe had stated on the eve of the Asian Athletics Championships that eligibility of hyperandrogenic athletes won’t be affected for the World Championships, CAS’ latest order gives athletes breathing space while also putting the sports’ governing body on notice. On Saturday, the CAS said that if the IAAF failed to provide scientific evidence within two months to prove the co-relation between enhanced testosterone levels and improved athletic ability in hyperandrogenic athletes, then the guidelines would remain void. The IAAF had earlier this month claimed to have fresh evidence, which proves female athletes with hyperandrogenism have an advantage over others and that they would knock on the doors of CAS. “Based upon the agreement of the parties and at the approval of the Panel, the Hyperandrogenism Regulations have been suspended for an additional two (2) months. During such extended suspension, Ms Dutee Chand remains eligible to compete in both national and international level athletics events. Should the IAAF not file any scientific evidence within the additional two-month period granted by the CAS Panel (i.e. end of September 2017), the Hyperandrogenism Regulations will be declared void,” CAS said in a statement. The initial interim order of CAS, which had set aside the hyperandrogenism guidelines which were disputed by Chand, was in force till July 24. Leveling the playing field In its effort to present fresh scientific evidence to CAS, the IAAF funded the research by scientists Stephane Bermon and Pierre-Yves Garnier — the director of the IAAF’s health and science department. The research paper was titled: Leveling the Playing Field in Female Sports was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The two scientists conducted their research based on serum androgen levels of 2,127 male and female athletes based on their performance at the 2011 and 2013 IAAF world championships. Among other things, the study found that in certain events female athletes with high testosterone levels benefit from a 1.8 per cent to 4.5 per cent competitive advantage over female athletes with lower testosterone levels. “Female athletes with high fT (testosterone) levels have a significant competitive advantage over those with low fT in 400 m, 400 m hurdles, 800 m, hammer throw, and pole vault,” the research article stated. Chand participates in the 100 metres and the 200 metres. Dr Bermon commented: “Our starting position is to defend, protect and promote fair female competition. If, as the study shows, in certain events female athletes with higher testosterone levels can have a competitive advantage of between 1.8-4.5% over female athletes with lower testosterone levels, imagine the magnitude of the advantage for female athletes with testosterone levels in the normal male range.” Yet, at the World Championships, none of this will matter as hyperandrogenic athletes will get another chance to win medals. South African Caster Semenya, who has faced questions over her gender in the past, was a controversial winner of the women’s 800 metres at the Rio Olympics. Great Britain’s Lynsey Sharp said after the race it was difficult to compete after the hyperandrogenism guidelines were set aside by CAS. “I have tried to avoid the issue all year. You can see how emotional it all was. We know how each other feels. It is out of our control and how much we rely on people at the top sorting it out. The public can see how difficult it is with the change of rule but all we can do is give it our best,” Sharp told the BBC after the race.
