South Africa and its beloved citizens are extremely proud of you for achieving greatness in the sporting world and holding the South African flag high with honour and prestige. You are a winner and a champion and despite all the odds you excelled and emerged as the undisputed champion on many athletic podiums around the world. Your determination and perseverance moulded you into proud and deserved winner.

Caster was born in Ga-Masehlong, a village near Polokwane and there was no stopping her from bolting out of the village and striding into the fraternity of professional athletes. Her continuous winning streak graced the media around the world and her name became a household name, certainly in South Africa. Amongst the many medals and accolades that she won, she also won the silver medal at the 2011 World Championships in the 800 metres. the gold medal in the 800 metre events at the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2016 Summer Olympics, the gold medal in the 1500m at the Commonwealth Games in Australia in 2018. She also set a new Games record of 4 m 0.71 s, which was her own personal best. These awards are results of extensive and continuous training with the ultimate aim of bringing the gold medal to South Africa. This displays great courage, skill and strength – you’re a winner.

Winning is not always a pleasant journey and there has been lots of controversy regarding her feats and I want to be very blatant and transparent upfront regarding her unparalleled achievements. There is an ugly legacy where the so-called first world countries do not like defeat – especially from second or third world countries. There is still that colonial attitude that many first world countries do not accept defeat readily and they will pursue any avenue in any rule book, policy or legislation to discredit legitimate winners.

First world countries always want to be winners even if they don’t make the standard and they always want to contest results. You often notice this unwarranted attitude in many different sporting events and it tarnishes the camaraderie as they make feeble excuses when they lose. This is sad and it gives sport an ugly stigma.

Caster is currently in the process of appealing in Switzerland against an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) regulation restricting testosterone levels in female runners. She will be seeking to overturn the regulation at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Under the rule, female athletes with naturally high testosterone levels would have to race against men or change events unless they took medication to reduce it. Athletes who wanted to compete in those events must take medication for a period of six months, and then need to maintain a lower testosterone level. A verdict on this appeal is expected by 26 March this year.

This is absolute ludicrous and it does not cover all athletic events. It is specifically targeted at track events where Caster or others have excelled in. But the study found that the biggest performance differences were between female competitors with high and low testosterone is in the pole vault and hammer throw—two events that the IAAF decided not to regulate.

Why not draw a definitive line and regulate all athletic events rather than being selective and judgemental on track events? This clearly displays double standards and preferential treatment to other athletic events.

Let’s closely analyse some of the statements above and other relevant issues pertinent to this topic:

• Testosterone is a hormone present in males and females (less-so in women). For example, one study found that regular physical exercise in females (ten or more hours a week) helped to increase testosterone levels while lowering body mass index. Studies have found that many male and female athletes' testosterone levels increased before competitions. Researchers said that many studies are inconclusive and speculative without that kind of empirical data on how testosterone may affect a person's competitiveness and athletic ability.

Is the IAAF implying that athletes should not train regularly or reduce the intervals of training just before a competition to be within the testosterone levels? This interpretation does not make any sense at all.

• The IAAF wants to use testosterone levels to determine whether an athlete is considered a female. If an athlete was born a female, grew up as a female and may have a high testosterone level for some known or unknown reason, it should be good and advantageous for the athlete. That is not an unfair advantage.

Nobody has the liberty to question the athlete’s birthright and determine the athlete's sex and in which athletic event she may or may not compete in. That is an absolute insult and does not go well with the Ubuntu that we South Africans are accustomed to.

• Where the testosterone level is naturally high in an athlete, that should not be questionable if no doping was involved. After all, athletic events should display excellence under natural conditions. Doping is cheating.

If an athlete does not use enhancing drugs, steroids, etc., why should an athlete be restricted in participating in any athletic event?

• Many second and third world countries do not possess the same training facilities as first world countries and many athletes train under harsh or difficult conditions. There may not be public transport or it may be costly and these athletes may have to walk or run for kilometres to reach their training camps, school, etc.

The adverse training conditions may raise the athlete’s testosterone levels.

• Testosterone is not the only ingredient in making a great and successful athlete. If an athlete was not dedicated and determined to be successful, any level of testosterone would not automatically make that person a winner.

Would Caster have been tested if she was not a winner and did not stand on the podium receiving a medal?

• Unfair advantage is a very “loose” term being used and it creates confusion.

Is the IAAF categorically stating that unusually tall females should not play basketball or netball, or should not participate in high-jump or long-jump, females with unusually huge biceps or triceps should not participate in weightlifting or judo, etc.? Is this unfair advantage?

• African female runners have also made a noticeable mark in track and long distance events in the international athletic arenas.

What’s next, long distance African female runners will be targeted, etc?

• The IAAF’s regulation is based on a French study that was conducted and ignored other studies. Many critics denounced the French IAAF study and stated that the French IAAF study was one-sided as it was funded by the IAAF.

Why are other studies by prominent researchers not being considered and analysed?

Caster, we South Africans are passionate about our sport and our sportsmen and sportswomen. We South Africans will support you overwhelmingly and without any hesitation in your appeal process. Your and our prize would be for you to compete as a natural woman in all future track events.

Quotation from Caster “I just want to run naturally, the way I was born."

Where’s the justice?

YOU BE THE JUDGE