South Africa’s Caster Semenya celebrates after winning the gold medal in the final of the Women’s 800m during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009. AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus
An intriguing story to emerge this week is that of Caster Semenya, the South African 800m runner who has been the subject of intense speculation regarding her gender. The South African delegation is standing behind her, but the IAAF wants a gender test to be done.
The test is a complex procedure and requires the services of an endocrinologist, a gynaecologist, an internal medicine expert, an expert on gender, and a psychologist. After going through all that, I wouldn’t be 100 percent sure if I was Martha or Arthur.
She clearly is a tomboy of sorts.
Her principal said: “She was always rough and played with the boys. She liked soccer and she wore pants to school. She never wore a dress. It was only in Grade 11 that I realised she’s a girl.”
There is every chance that Semenya is a hermaphrodite.
The IAAF is to blame for this situation to develop. They let this issue fester to where it has now become a media circus. It was obvious that the story was only going to grow and thus the testing process should have been expedited.
This is a very tricky and delicate issue as to be accused of being a different gender is a far bigger claim than someone being on drugs.
What if the testing proves she is a hermaphrodite? Would it be fair for her to race with the women where she has a discernible advantage?
She won the race by a margin of sizeable 2.45 seconds. This time would have given her the silver medal in Beijing.
Sporting administrators need to be pro-active so that things are addressed before they are played out in a public forum.
With a little bit of foresight, the IAAF could have avoided trial by media.
But it’s too late now.
Mushi
Guest
James I’m surprised you wife is so definitive. For the vast majority it is that simple but the problem is the one in (pick a large number) where other syndromes and developments can occur.
Jameswm
Guest
My wife who has a medical background said as far as she's concerned, it's a simple XY or XX cromosome thing. If she was born a woman she'll be XX and if she's XX then that's it. I don't have any relevant background and I wonder how they are planning on working it out. But I agree with everyone that it shouldn't be played out in public because what if she is legitimately a she? And look at who the WR holder is - Jarmila Krachtovilova, who set it 25-30 years ago when she was pumped so full of testosterone and steroids she probably had a deeper voice than James Earl Jones. What a joke those records stand - along with Marita Koch's and FloJo's.
Chris
Guest
I feel bad for her, she can't help her condition and she probably has been mocked all her life. At least she can be finally do something that she can be proud of.
Whiteline
Guest
Dixie Baseless and stupid comment about Lance Armstrong - pull your head in.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
It's unfortunate all round. This article quotes the principal (she didn't wear a skirt till late in secondary school - big deal!!) - but it doesn't quote her family who have always known her to be a girl, or her room mates, who have seen her in the shower. Facial hair? - what next - ban all Sicilian grandmothers from competing??
bruski
Roar Pro
Look, I think that the way this has been made public before the tests have been done is disgusting!! Imagine if she really is a she, how bloody dis-respectable is that to the poor girl. This should have been sorted out well before now and if she is a she then the idiot who fronted the press conference and those that decided to take this into the public forum should be removed from their positions. Remember, this is being played out around the world in front of billions of eyes, and if unsubstantiated could have a terrible effect on this young lady! A lot of people I have spoken too believe her to be a man, why they made an investigation public before knowing any facts. The presumption of innocence should be kept and not thrown into the public forum. And again, why so many specialists to see if she is a he or she? It cannot be that difficult can it? Bruski.
Dixie
Guest
There's no doubt that the way this has been played out, both by the national and international athletics bodies and the mainstream media, has been absolutely inappropriate. If there are doubts about Semenya's gender, tests should have been undertaken confidentially and away from public scrutiny. The IAAF has neglected the rights and needs of an athlete who to their knowledge has done nothing wrong. The fact that the media has decided to throw the atricle in the 'weird & wacky' box next to record pizza eating feats and baby pandas rather than on the inside back page only exacerbates the hype. Amelie Mauresmo probably wore pants and played soccer with the boys at school. Must be a he-she! What next? The tests say Semenya is a woman, so we change the headline to 'South African 800 metre champ denies gay rumours'? As for your question of what if tests prove Semenya to be a hermaphrodite? This is hardly her fault. Should we create a seperate class at world championships - mens, womens and 50/50s? Where do we draw the line? Lance Armstrong is labelled a hero to all as a cycling champion, despite steroids taken in his recovery from cancer potentially improving his later performance. If she is a hermaphrodite (presently unproven), shouldn't we celebrate another great example of an athlete fighting adversity and producing an astonishing performance?
Brett McKay
Guest
David, it's a tough one, no doubt. But am I not the only one thinking that if it looks like duck, and sounds like duck, that it's probably a duck?? Can ducks actually be geese?? Obviously I say this without my endocrinologist, gynaecologist, internal medicine expert, gender expert , and psychologist caps on...