Namibia’s sprint sensation Christine Mboma is free to once again compete in sprinting events, following a ban by World Athletics earlier this year.
Head coach Henk Botha yesterday confirmed that the world athletic governing body has decided to allow Mboma to compete in the 100m and 200m events, but not in the 400m, 800m and 1 500m.
“She will only be able to compete in the other events in a year and a half from now,” he said.
Botha said the sprinter’s testosterone level has been lowered to an acceptable level to World Athletics.
“We will now concentrate on getting her to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games by continuing with her preparation,” he said.
The sport governing body earlier this year announced that female athletes with differences in sexual development, resulting in high naturally occurring levels of testosterone, will need to reduce their amount of blood testosterone to below 2.5 nanomoles per litre (nmol/l) – half of the previously accepted level of five nanomoles – for a minimum of 24 months.
The restriction on testosterone levels previously applied to events between 400m and a mile, which has caused Mboma to move to the shorter sprinting events.
There is an interim ruling for athletes competing in events outside the previously restricted range, according to which they have to suppress their testosterone levels to below 2,5nmol/l for a minimum of six months before competing.
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