Olympic Games silver medallist Elana van Zyl-Meyer says the time has come for Caster Semenya to turn to coaching rather than continue to fight the system.
World Athletics last month announced new rules banning transgender athletes from competing in the women’s category and forcing differences of sexual development (DSD) athletes to lower their levels of testosterone if they want to compete. The ruling effectively prevents Semenya from competing without ingesting hormone suppressants, which the two-time Olympic gold medallist has steadfastly refused to do since an earlier ruling in 2019.
Athletics South Africa described the world governing body’s new rules as “highly discriminatory” and are considering legal action. But Semenya remains at a crossroads in her career. The previous rules allowed the 32-year-old from Polokwane to compete in any event below the 400m mark and above the mile without having to take testosterone-suppressing supplements but now the tectonic plates have shifted. Semenya, who even took her case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and subsequently lost the appeal in 2021, has been forced to reconsider her athletics future.
“Unfortunately, with the recent changes there has been a clear ruling that women with high testosterone will not be able to compete unless the hormone levels are reduced,” Van Zyl-Meyer told TimesLIVE Premium from Cape Town.
“At this stage, the ruling is totally against Caster competing, but I think she has had a brilliant career. She enjoyed the opportunity to go to the Olympics and win gold in 2012 and 2016. Removing such athletes certainly does make the playing field more even and fairer for young women.”
Van Zyl-Meyer, in opposition to the stance of Athletics South Africa (ASA), believes World Athletics took the right step creating guidelines for competition. The 56-year-old is cognisant that the topic divides opinion but is in favour of creating a level playing field for women in sport.
“We want categories where we can really encourage young girls to compete in a fair competition,” Van Zyl-Meyer, remembered for her silver medal in the 10,000m at the 1992 Olympic Games and post-race lap with gold medallist Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia, told TimesLIVE Premium.
“I absolutely support that fair competition needs to be created, but we also need to find a way forward that is inclusive of all the different categories. Maybe it’s time for athletics to introduce an additional [gender] category apart from a men’s and women’s.”
Semenya did not participate in the 10,000m race she was scheduled to compete in on day one of last month’s South African Athletics Championships in Potchefstroom. Pre-ruling, the 800m champion was plotting a course in long-distance running and at the same time giving back to the next generation.
Semenya has been serving as an assistant middle-distance coach at the Tuks Athletics Academy at the University of Pretoria. Van Zyl-Meyer, who these days works at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport in an athlete development role, believes Semenya should now channel her energy into becoming a coach.
I really want to welcome Caster into the coaching space. She has so much to give and the next generation of runners can really benefit from her knowledge, passion and experience.
— Elana van Zyl-Meyer
“It’s wonderful to see Caster giving back by coaching athletes at Tuks,” she said. “The fact that Caster has moved into a coaching role means she will be able to give back and pass on much of her knowledge, passion and experience.
“Caster is an incredible human being and, as an athlete, has excelled and had the opportunity to achieve her full potential. It’s great to see she has also gone into coaching and her legacy will live on.”
Since retiring in 2006 Van Zyl-Meyer has been in the industry of athletics development. She said mentorship of talented young athletes has offered her plenty of reward. She is the CEO and founder at Endurocad, a non-profit organisation and athletes’ academy club based in Stellenbosch, and has been at the forefront of bringing three middle-distance World Athletics Tour Challenger races to Green Point Stadium this month. The third and final track meet will commence on Monday, in collaboration with Western Province Athletics and ASA.
On the state of South African athletics, Van Zyl Meyer readily admits local track and field athletes punch well above their weight and says their success is in spite of the administrators. She bemoans a lack of financial support and opportunities for local athletes and says that without privately-funded projects, the sport will suffer.
“It’s truly despite and not because of [administrators] that SA athletes are succeeding. Without private individuals getting behind the sport, it’s really lost and we have certainly had better days. But I am privileged to be in a position where I can contribute to the next generation and local athletes certainly don’t disappoint.”
While athlete development in South African athletics is not for the faint-hearted, Van Zyl Meyer feels Semenya would take to it like a duck to water owing to her immense pedigree.
“I really want to welcome Caster into this space. She has so much to give and the next generation of runners can really benefit from her knowledge, passion and experience.”
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.