Families and friends like mine across the nation - indeed the globe - seem to be locked in fierce debate over whether she should be allowed to compete in the 800 metres, the event where largely because of the extra amount of naturally-produced testosterone in her body, she leaves everyone else standing.

It is typical of the sort of issue which has made sport burst free of its traditional boundaries over the past half-century. When I first started in newspaper journalism, editors referred to the sports section as the toy department of their newspapers. Not anymore.

Now they recognise that sport, with its endless controversies involving every aspect of life has permeated through to the news pages, the feature pages, the business pages, the women’s pages and, of course, the front pages to help sell their product.

It now embraces all facets of human life from, chemistry (drugs) and science through to crime, even murder (Oscar Pistorius), cheating, massive fraud, corruption - take a bow FIFA and several other governing bodies – commerce, geopolitics...you name it, sport has so many examples of it.

Now this latest one is a major conundrum. A minefield where several explosives have been detonated already. The first time in history where authorities who are relentlessly trying to stop the taking of drugs have ordered athletes to take some to stop them running too fast.

I have great sympathy for Semenya but also for those who do not possess such an advantage.

Newspapers and magazines all over the world have put the case on their front pages and in Britain, where it has divided the nation like Brexit, the BBC, ITV and Sky have it as their lead news item. 

Even The Sun, a red top not noted for perceptive in-depth analysis of physiological or scientific issues in sport or anything else, has given full prominence to "Semenyagate".

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled the 28-year-old must suppress her testosterone levels in order to compete in women’s track and field events. Semenya is one of an extremely small number of women who naturally produce much higher levels of testosterone, giving her a significant advantage over her peers.

The ruling came after the double Olympic 800m champion challenged the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) rules regarding testosterone suppression for female athletes as discriminatory. 

The court’s decision did not deny that the IAAF’s rules were discriminatory but also noted that "the majority of the panel found that, on the basis of the evidence submitted by the parties, such discrimination is a necessary, reasonable and proportionate means of achieving the IAAF’s aim of preserving the integrity of female athletics".

Semenya, who was born with what is known as a differences in sexual development (DSD), must now take medication to lower her naturally-forming testosterone if she wants to compete internationally in events between 400m and a mile.

People with a DSD do not develop along typical gender lines. Their hormones, genes and reproductive organs may have a mix of male and female characteristics.

They may have higher levels of testosterone - the hormone that increases muscle mass, strength and haemoglobin, which affects endurance.

Semenya has challenged official testosterone limits, arguing it is not clear how much athletes like her benefit from their naturally higher counts.

But the IAAF, led by President Lord Coe, who usually has more liberal views on such biological matters, has ruled female athletes with elevated testosterone do have a competitive advantage. They say it can give a three per cent improvement to some runners. That could make the difference between a gold medal and a bronze.

So they demand these athletes reduce their testosterone to below a certain level for at least six months, for certain events.

According to sports scientist Ross Tucker, the effect of lowering Semenya’s testosterone will be significant. He predicts she will be five to seven seconds slower over 800m.

In the face of this ruling, some have asked whether athletes born with unusually long legs, like Usain Bolt and many high jumpers, will need to have them shortened in order to compete on a level playing field with less-blessed athletes. 

And what about phenomenal Aussie swimmer Ian Thorpe who has hands like shovels and feet like flippers, a perfectly natural advantage to help propel himself through the water? Similarly, seven-feet tall basketball players are greatly assisted when slam-dunking.

Or, say, Muhammad Ali being born with faster reflexes than other heavyweight boxers of his era.

So after much soul-searching, I think it is unfair for female athletes who have the advantage of an elevated male hormone count to compete with women who do not. Some of Semenya’s adversaries, like British athlete Lindsey Sharp, who have been even mildly critical, have received death threats from South African sources, so critical has this issue become.

Of course I feel for Semenya. She is a fabulous athlete who has remained a dignified figure during the toxic maelstrom that engulfs her. She is also a three-time world champion over 800m - and has won her past 29 races over the distance.

She has not taken steroids or hormones to enhance her performance. This is just the way she was born, which is why she refers to her DSD as a "gift".

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has backed her, branding the ruling unfair and saying: "She has done nothing wrong and it is awful that she will now have to take drugs to be able to compete. General rules should not be made from exceptional cases."

Martina has been accused of being transphobic when she suggested it was potentially cheating for transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports.

Her point is that it is unfair for people who were once biologically men to compete as women. Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution.

Semenya did not ask to be born with additional testosterone. But it is true that as long as she has it, the playing field is not level.

Her hormones make her unbeatable, which is not fair to other athletes dedicating their lives to a sport in which they can come no better than second.