‘A Disrespect for Women’: Caster Semenya Slams IOC President Kirsty Coventry Over New Olympic Gender Tests
By: Sona Sports Desk | Updated: March 31, 2026
Focus: 2028 LA Olympics, Caster Semenya, Kirsty Coventry, IOC Gender Policy, DSD Athletes
CAPE TOWN — Double Olympic champion Caster Semenya has launched a scathing attack on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its President, Kirsty Coventry, following the controversial decision to reinstate genetic sex verification tests for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The new 10-page policy effectively bans transgender women and significantly restricts athletes with Differences in Sex Development (DSD) from competing in the female category. For Semenya, the hyperandrogenic South African track star who has spent over a decade fighting for her right to run, the policy is not just a professional blow—it is a deeply personal betrayal by a fellow African leader.
The African Betrayal: Coventry Under Fire
Speaking at a press conference in Cape Town, Semenya aimed her frustration directly at IOC President Kirsty Coventry. As a Zimbabwean and the first woman and African to hold the office, Coventry was expected by many to be a champion for athletes from the global South.
A Lack of Empathy
“Personally, for her as a leader, she’s an African, I’m sure she understands how we as Africans, we are coming from... you cannot control genetics,” Semenya said. “For her being a woman coming from Africa, knowing how African women or women in the global South are affected by that, of course, it causes harm.”
"Ticking a Box"
Semenya also accused Coventry and the IOC of fake consultation, revealing that DSD athletes were only sent a letter the day the policy was published. "If you’re going to consult, consult with a genuine heart. Don’t consult because you’re ticking the box. Unfortunately, they have ticked a wrong box," she stated.
The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Rule
The IOC is returning to methods abandoned in 1999, utilizing genetic testing to enforce strict biological categories.
The IOC announced that starting with the 2028 LA Games, eligibility for any female category event will be limited to "biological females, determined on the basis of a one-time SRY gene screening."
How The Test Works
The test will be carried out via a saliva sample, cheek swab, or blood sample. Any athlete testing positive for the SRY gene (located on the Y chromosome and responsible for male characteristic development) will face further investigation and likely exclusion from female events.
A Step Backwards?
Chromosomal testing was previously used between 1968 and 1996 before being abandoned due to scientific concerns regarding its effectiveness. Semenya was quick to point this out: "It came as a failure. And that’s why it was dropped. Why will you be tested to prove that you fit? It’s like now we need to prove that we are worthy as women to take part in sports. That’s a disrespect for women."
The Science of DSD Athletes
Semenya, who has male XY chromosomes and naturally high testosterone, has been banned from her favorite 800m event since 2019 for refusing to take hormone-altering medication. She fiercely disputes the IOC's claim that androgen-sensitive XY-DSD athletes have an inherent advantage in strength or endurance.
Hard Work vs. Genetics
"There is no science to suggest that. I’ve been there, I’ve done that," Semenya affirmed. "There are people who are convinced because a woman is masculine, or born with intersex conditions, they have an advantage. But what I say is that if you’re going to be a great athlete, it’s through hard work. You cannot control genetics."
"Enough is Enough"
Despite claiming last year to have ended her legal battles, Semenya is ready to make noise once again.
A Call to Action for Women
Speaking from Pretoria, the 35-year-old athlete promised a vocal fight against the regulation. "We’re going to be vocal about it, we’re going to make noise until we’re heard. Now it’s a matter of women standing for themselves to say, enough is enough. We are not going to be told how to do things."
The Paris 2024 Catalyst
The IOC's drastic policy shift comes in the wake of the 2024 Paris Olympics boxing controversy involving Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting. The IOC allowed both fighters to compete—and win gold—despite being previously banned by the IBA over eligibility tests. Now, aiming to avoid conflict with US President Donald Trump ahead of the LA Games, the IOC has instituted this blanket biological ban, leaving DSD athletes like Semenya caught in the crossfire.
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