IAAF testosterone rules 'appropriate' - Coe

IAAF president Sebastian Coe today hit a defiant note amid criticism of controversial new rules on women's testosterone, insisting they were "appropriate for the sport".

Track and field's governing body has come under the spotlight after unveiling the rules to counteract hyperandrogenism, the medical condition which causes women to produce high levels of male sex hormones.

The rules, which the IAAF puts under the heading "Difference of Sexual Development" (DSD), cover events from 400m to the mile because the IAAF's medical and science department says it has data showing hyperandrogenous athletes have an advantage over such distances.

When the rules come into effect on November 1, 2018, athletes such as South Africa's double Olympic champion Caster Semenya will only be able to compete if they take medication to reduce their levels of male sex hormones.

Semenya has long attracted debate because of her powerful physique related to hyperandrogenism.

The issue is controversial because it pits principles of fair competition against the rights of women born with the condition.

But Coe, speaking ahead of Friday's season-opening Diamond League meet in Doha, insisted the rules were fair and not something drawn up on a whim overnight.

"The regulations are very clear and they are really the culmination of 15 years of work here, scientifically reviewed," said Coe, who won two Olympic 1500m golds for Britain.

"I think there's a bit of a mistaken view that this is just one particular piece of work that has been showcased.

"That particular piece of work was in response to a very specific question that we were asked and that was about performance enhancement in testosterone.

"But 15 years of work across this was enough to give the council comfort that these regulations are appropriate for the sport."