Caster Semenya (L) enjoys a groundswell of support from South Africa, with President Jacob Zuma (R) speaking out against the IAAF. (AFP: Paballo Thekiso)
Posted on 09/10/2009 6:01:04 PM PDT by SkyPilot
Gender tests on women's 800 metres champion Caster Semenya reveal that she is a hermaphrodite, according to a leak to News Limited newspapers today.
Sydney's Daily Telegraph says a source close to the testing process has confirmed that Semenya has three times the level of testosterone usually found in a woman, and internal testes instead of ovaries.
The International Association of Athletics Federations ordered tests on Semenya after her gold medal showing at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin.
Caster Semenya (L) enjoys a groundswell of support from South Africa, with President Jacob Zuma (R) speaking out against the IAAF. (AFP: Paballo Thekiso)
Overnight the IAAF confirmed that it had received the preliminary results of the tests but said it was referring them to medical experts and there would be no decision until November at the earliest.
But if Semenya is a hermaphrodite, it is still unclear if she will lose her gold medal.
If true, the finding is likely to surprise Semenya's former coach Wilfred Daniels, who says Semenya did undergo gender verification testing before she raced.
He says he is ashamed at the way the controversy has been handled by the South African athletics authorities.
"We didn't brief her about the procedures and the protocols, we didn't inform her of her rights in this situation, and we didn't prepare her for the aggressive media onslaught that she was confronted with in Berlin," Daniels said.
In South Africa, the investigation into Semenya's gender has become a question of national pride and it is unlikely this dispute will be easy to solve.
It is unclear whether the IAAF will now try to take back Semenya's gold medal.
Maurie Plant from Athletics Australia says the teen has been let down by both the IAAF and Athletics South Africa.
"Feelings will run high and I think it's fair to say that the victim in this whole thing has, and is going to be, the athlete," he said.
"Regardless of the gender situation and scenario, certainly I believe that she came there thinking that she was taking part in something which she was able to take part in.
"Now the political wranglings have turned the whole thing around, and in certain cases she's painted as a bad person and as a cheat. I don't think that that was her intention."
She says according to the rules, it seems that Semenya should be stripped of her medal.
"But obviously the South Africans are going to contest the issue of the gender," she said.
"I think it's going to not be something that's going to be solved in the next 48 hours or next couple of weeks."
“Built-ins” eh?
Clearly he’s NOT a hermaphrodite if he has testes and no ovaries or uterus. He’s 100% male with a slight deformation of the genitals.
If the international authorities continue to allow him to compete as a “woman” they might as well let any man who wants to compete in “women’s” events.
WOW think of the dual endorsements she/he can do. Secret deodorant “Strong enough for a man.....†Cruex and Midol.
Funny thing about this is there are people who, for all intents and purposes pretty much totally appear female.
Very early in the pregnancy, the fetus is, if it has male chromosomes, bathed in testosterone. This is part of the trigger that makes it male.
If, for some reason, this does not happen, then no male sex characteristics are developed. The child matures and is born, and even develops the secondary sex characteristics of a female.
Except - no functioning ovaries and no menstruation otherwise totally female in appearance.
But a genetic test reveals XY, not XX.
she’s defintely got Michelle’s arms!
Lola!
I wonder if she drinks champagne and dances all night?
Kinks really started to rock hard around that time period.
Oh, demon alcohol... sad memories I can’t recall...
So this guy is way faster than any woman in the world. Big deal. How would he rank if he ran in a men's race? Would he even make the cut?
“there goes her “dating life”.”
Actually, her chances of a date on any given night just doubled.
didn’t think of it that way, hehe
I don’t know—it might have just picked up a bit.
A normal belt!
XX or XY? That is the question.
If XX, then tough cookies on her competitors. If XY, then yank his medal!
i wonder how guys would react to dating a girl/guy?
The first time I saw this “girl” I said “bullshit that’s a man”. It is obvious to anyone.
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