This archive report was first published on 26 September 2019.
Kenya's Maxmilia Imali Speaks Out on Being Dropped from Team ¶
Maxmilia Imali, a top Kenyan Olympic long jumper, has finally broken her silence months after being dropped from the team due to high testosterone levels in her blood.
According to an interview with Olympic Channel, Maxmilia revealed that she had no one to talk to about her condition, which made her life even more difficult.
She explained that her life depends on running as she feeds her family using proceeds from the races that she wins.
Maxmilia was initially tested for testosterone in 2014 after returning from the world Junior championships in Oregon, U.S., but the results came back negative.
However, in 2019, she qualified to represent Kenya in the Yokohama World Relays but was dropped from the team without an explanation.
She was told that she could not travel with the team as she would 'taint the reputation of the federation.'
Maxmilia's case is not an isolated one, as other athletes with high testosterone levels, including Caster Semenya, have faced similar challenges.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) introduced new regulations last year known as Female Classification (Athlete with Differences of Sexual Development), which require athletes to have blood testosterone levels below five (5) nmol/L for a continuous period of at least six months.
Maxmilia and other athletes with high testosterone levels are now required to take medication to reduce their testosterone levels or remain locked out of competitions.
