Maximila Imali, a top Kenyan sprinter, did not lose her eligibility to compete in the Paris Olympics because she cheated. She did not fail a doping test. She broke no rules. Instead, she is set to miss this year’s Summer Games because she was born with a rare genetic variant that results in naturally elevated levels of testosterone. And last March, track and field’s global governing body ruled that Imali’s biology gave her an unfair advantage in all events against other women, effectively barring her from international competition.
The legality of those rules has been disputed as they have changed, and as sports governing bodies try to balance fair play in women’s sports with the complicated issues of biological sex and gender identity. But the application of the regulations continues to cause confusion for those affected. Rule changes are sometimes made with little or no warning; careers are forcibly switched abruptly or ended at their peak; and embarrassment, humiliation and fears abound about personal safety.
Imali is appealing to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, but until then, her Olympic dream remains in peril and her career and livelihood in limbo. Tap the link in our bio to read about how these rules are affecting Imali and other intersex athletes and what their future looks like for the Olympic Games. Written by Jere Longman.
