400-meter runner Aminatou Seyni from Niger, with a time of 49.19 seconds third-fastest athlete this year, may not compete at the World Championships in Doha because of the controversial testosterone rule on their favorite track. That gave the 22-year-old on Monday after her 200-m lead, which she won in a national record of 22.58 seconds ahead of Tatjana Pinto known. "I'm not allowed to run 400 meters, because of the new regulations I have to go over the 200 meters, it's like Caster Semenya," Seyni said.
For several months, the World Federation IAAF has introduced the controversial testosterone rule. Athletes with intersex equipment have to lower their testosterone levels below a certain threshold in order to be allowed to race internationally on routes between 400 m and one mile.
The two-time 800-meter Olympic champion Semenya had sued unsuccessfully before the International Court of Justice Cas against the rule. A decision of the Swiss Federal Court is still pending. The South African, however, refuses to lower her testosterone or move to another track and is not in Doha at the start.
