As Simon (2003) stated in “Sports, Relativism, and Moral Education,” This current controversial event on “Is Caster Semenya Playing Fair?” (Jamie Strashin, CBC Sports, Posted: Aug 08, 2017 9:08 AM ET, Last Updated: Aug 08, 2017 4:12 PM ET) demonstrates an example of sport as an excellent tool for moral education. When looking at sport through a philosophical lens, the three criteria of good moral reasoning should be applied: 1) impartial position 2) systematically consistent position 3) accountability for reflective judgments about clear moral examples (Simon, 1991). On the topic of Caster Semenya (Strashin, 2017), the ethical question is whether she should be allowed to race in major championship races given her biological differences. Semenya
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This question reflects the subjective consequentialism in the teleological approach as the approach is a test of coherence where the result is determined by what agrees with the beliefs and desires of both the individual and group (Malloy, D.C. & Zakus, D., 2003). In addition, the teleological approach focuses on the consequences of actions instead of on the act itself and is concerned with the amount of good or bad (Strashin, 2017). The intention of the structured rule, which does not allow high levels of testosterone is to prevent these female athletes from taking advantage of their hormone levels to win the race. However, Semenya and other female athletes with hyperandrogenism have a physiological condition where they “naturally” have higher levels of testosterone. Since the increase in testosterone is a natural occurrence, asking these female athletes to alter their biological nature is morally unethical. Furthermore, Semenya has the same right to participate as any other athlete. Joanna Harper, a transgender athlete and medical physicist, suggested that women who are confirmed female at birth should be able to take advantage of the rights that are associated with being female, unrelated to the amount of testosterone in their body (Strashin, 2017). Following the IAAF’s decision to repress testosterone levels in intersex individuals, the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed this notion and Semenya was able to return to her sport (Strashin, 2017). However, another female sprinter, Dutee Chand, had been banned from competing due to her high levels of testosterone (Strashin, 2017). Chand’s lawyer James Bunting, stated that not allowing her to compete is not only
This question reflects the subjective consequentialism in the teleological approach as the approach is a test of coherence where the result is determined by what agrees with the beliefs and desires of both the individual and group (Malloy, D.C. & Zakus, D., 2003). In addition, the teleological approach focuses on the consequences of actions instead of on the act itself and is concerned with the amount of good or bad (Strashin, 2017). The intention of the structured rule, which does not allow high levels of testosterone is to prevent these female athletes from taking advantage of their hormone levels to win the race. However, Semenya and other female athletes with hyperandrogenism have a physiological condition where they “naturally” have higher levels of testosterone. Since the increase in testosterone is a natural occurrence, asking these female athletes to alter their biological nature is morally unethical. Furthermore, Semenya has the same right to participate as any other athlete. Joanna Harper, a transgender athlete and medical physicist, suggested that women who are confirmed female at birth should be able to take advantage of the rights that are associated with being female, unrelated to the amount of testosterone in their body (Strashin, 2017). Following the IAAF’s decision to repress testosterone levels in intersex individuals, the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed this notion and Semenya was able to return to her sport (Strashin, 2017). However, another female sprinter, Dutee Chand, had been banned from competing due to her high levels of testosterone (Strashin, 2017). Chand’s lawyer James Bunting, stated that not allowing her to compete is not only