DAKAR — Hailing from one of the world's poorest country, Nigerien sprinter Aminatou Seyni is no stranger to life's hurdles, but as she prepares for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the 23-year-old faces fresh obstacles. Despite clocking the fifth-fastest time in the 400 metres last year, Seyni may not be able to compete in her favoured event because she refuses to take hormone suppressants for elevated testosterone levels. In 2018, World Athletics, the sport's international governing body, imposed a testosterone cap for races between 400m and a mile, arguing that hyperandrogenous female athletes enjoy an unfair advantage at those distances. The rule, which also affects the South African double Olympic 800 metres champion, Caster Semenya, will likely limit Seyni to the 200 metres in Tokyo.

Source: International New York Times February 07, 2020 10:30 UTC