Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Reproductive endocrinology

Athletes' bodies, sexed bodies—intersexuality in athletics

Nature Reviews Endocrinology volume 8, pages 198–199 (2012)Cite this article

Subjects

In April 2011, the International Olympic Committee determined that women with hyperandrogenism and androgen levels above the lower limit of the male range cannot compete against other women. This attempt to implement a 'level playing field' has received much criticism. But is it justified?

How much testosterone is too much testosterone for a female athlete? The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Association of Athletic Federations began debating this question in January 2010 during a joint meeting in Miami, on the heels of a sensationalized story concerning a South African runner. In April 2011, the IOC released its decision in which the rules that determine whether female individuals with hyperandrogenism can compete in the female category were outlined.1 Simply put, these individuals can compete against other female athletes if their androgen levels are below the male range.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. International Olympic Committee. IOC addresses eligibility of female athletes with hyperandrogenism. Olympic.org [online], (2011).

  2. Dreger, A. Redefining the sexes in unequal terms. New York Times [online], (2011).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Crincoli, S. The IAAF hyperandrogenism regulations and discrimination. World Sports Law Rep. 9, 3–5 (2011).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Ostrander, E. A., Huson, H. J. & Ostrander, G. K. Genetics of athletic performance. Annu. Rev. Genomics Hum. Genet. 10, 407–429 (2009).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Strauss, J. F. & Barbieri, R. L. Yen & Jaffe's Reproductive Endocrinology 4th edn (Saunders, Elsevier, 1999).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Enea, C., Boisseau, N., Fargeas-Gluck, M. A., Diaz, V. & Dugué, B. Circulating androgens in women: exercise-induced changes. Sports Med. 41, 1–15 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. New, M. I. Inborn errors of adrenal steroidogenesis. Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 211, 75–83 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. McDowell, M. A., Fryar, C. D., Ogden, C. L. & Flegal, K. M. Anthropometric reference data for children and adults: United States, 2003–2006. Natl Health Stat. Report 10 [online], (2008).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Elsas, L. J. et al. Gender verification of female athletes. Genet. Med. 2, 249–254 (2000).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hines, M. Prenatal endocrine influence on sexual orientation and on sexually differentiated childhood behavior. Front. Neuroendocrinol. 32, 170–182 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Genetics and Center for Society & Genetics, UCLA School of Medicine, 695 Charles Young Drive South, Lab 5524, Los Angeles, 90095-7088, CA, USA

    Eric Vilain & Francisco J. Sánchez

Authors
  1. Eric Vilain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Francisco J. Sánchez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eric Vilain.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

E. Vilain declares an association with the IOC Medical Commission (consultant). F. J. Sánchez declares no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vilain, E., Sánchez, F. Athletes' bodies, sexed bodies—intersexuality in athletics. Nat Rev Endocrinol 8, 198–199 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2011.213

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2011.213

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing