Caster Semenya's sex in doubt, as reports of sex testing and potential disqualification surface

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By now, most of you will be aware that South Africa's 800m sensation, Caster Semenya, has been reported as a potential disqualification from tonight's 800m final in Berlin, on the grounds that the IAAF had conducted tests on her to establish her sex, and that she might be male (I must clarify this - it's not an issue of male vs female, but of "entirely female", since she may possess secondary male characteristics as a result of some condition, reported as hermaphroditism).

This latest report (unconfirmed, I might add, at least with respects to the DQ - apparently the testing was done) is the climax of rumors that have been doing the rounds ever since the 18-year set the world's fastest time of 1:56.72 in a low key meeting in Mauritius recently.

I have been quite silent on the issue, and will continue to do so because at this point, there is nothing but rumor to go on, with no confirmed (and independent) facts. In the days after her 1:56 time, it was widely reported/speculated that Semenya was born a hermaphrodite (having both male and female reproductive organs), and that she was cleared by testing done by Athletics South Africa (ASA). Both reports are unconfirmed, though I do trust my particular sources of that information.

However, that does not yet constitute "proof" of anything (if there can ever be such a thing on a matter like sex testing - more on that later). Semenya is therefore in a terrible situation. The latest reports are that ASA are saying that the IAAF did do testing, but that there are no grounds for disqualification, that the test results will take weeks to release and so she will run tonight.

The problem with the process: A foreseeable controversy

I am not sure how this helps anyone. ASA seem eager to let her run, regardless of consequences down the line (which is much the same as they did in the lead-in to the Championships). The problem we now have is that she may well go on to win this final (assuming she can run, in fact, in which case I expect her to win easily), and then weeks down the line, we may yet have a disqualification and a result overturned, depending on those results. The result therefore MAY be that the silver medalist is upgraded to gold, bronze to silver, and that fourth gets bronze. What a tragic sequence of events for all the athletes involved.

Then again, stopping her from running may be equally unfair, because the tests may show nothing, and she would have been denied a world title (or at least, a shot at it). It seems to me this was a problem that was foreseeable, and one that ASA, had they had their ducks in a row, would have been able to pre-empt.

Not new allegations

The fact of the matter is that these allegations are not new. They have followed Semenya for a few years. Therefore, there was ample time to verify sex (again, a difficult process) and clear the way for her to compete. There is no doubt however, that the question was always going to be raised in Berlin, that people would ask and scrutinize, and so good management and coaching would have seen this resolved BEFORE the Championships even began. Because it was not, we are sadly seeing that Semenya will be the loser in what might well become an ugly story. There is surely nothing more offensive than the question of a woman's sex - even a doping accusation does not come close.

However, the reality is that we (in SA, that is) have been so poorly equipped to deal with the controversy that this situation and the doubt is now inevitable. Just take for example the following quotes, from this article:

According to the media liaison of Athletics South Africa (ASA), Ethel Manyaka, ASA would not send an athlete to the World Championships if they were not certain about the participant's gender. [Ross: Then why was Semenya sent to begin with? How could you be "certain" unless you had done comprehensive testing on her? And "comprehensive testing" means genes, hormones, physical anatomy, psychology, internal medicine - see below. To imply that ASA was certain of her sex is to imply that she had been comprehensively tested, which she was not]

"President of ASA, Leonard Cheuene, knows something like that will create a huge controversy. How are we going to do it besides asking her to show us her private parts?" quipped Manyaka.

And then this one, from her coach:

Seme (the coach) added that when they stopped at a petrol station in Cape Town recently and Semenya entered the female toilets, the petrol attendants prevented her from doing so because they were convinced she was a man.

"Caster just laughed and asked if they would like her to take off her pants to show them she was a woman," said Seme.

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2009/08/ca...-or-female.html

[What Happened? 4]

All that is needed is a chromosomal analysis.....not that complicated of an analysis.

Maybe she is an XXY

[luckytxn 2,264]

She/he could drop the pants and let someone look. There is 'one' there or not.

[_Simpson_ 250]

I knew no woman could hold such a record and MC you thought that it had to do with the fact that he wasnt a American and that was why I didnt report story.

So what have we learned from this, well I will tell you. Embrace the differences between men and woman because when they come together its one hell of a force.

Edited August 20, 2009 by looking_up

[Wei&Shu(Joe) 2]

I am not sure how this helps anyone. ASA seem eager to let her run, regardless of consequences down the line (which is much the same as they did in the lead-in to the Championships). The problem we now have is that she may well go on to win this final (assuming she can run, in fact, in which case I expect her to win easily), and then weeks down the line, we may yet have a disqualification and a result overturned, depending on those results. The result therefore MAY be that the silver medalist is upgraded to gold, bronze to silver, and that fourth gets bronze. What a tragic sequence of events for all the athletes involved.

According to the media liaison of Athletics South Africa (ASA), Ethel Manyaka, ASA would not send an athlete to the World Championships if they were not certain about the participant's gender. [Ross: Then why was Semenya sent to begin with? How could you be "certain" unless you had done comprehensive testing on her? And "comprehensive testing" means genes, hormones, physical anatomy, psychology, internal medicine - see below. To imply that ASA was certain of her sex is to imply that she had been comprehensively tested, which she was not]

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2009/08/ca...-or-female.html

These 2 sections are really bizarre.

The first says that the #2, 3 & 4 would suffer some sort of grave tragedy if they later became #1, 2 & 3. My guess is they'll probably just say "Cool!"

The second suggests that anatomy, psychology, and hormones would be considered in deciding gender for competition. How would that work? If I'm a sufficiently effeminate man I could be qualified to compete as a woman? Is there some clitoral length at which the competition commitee would disregard the XX karyotype and declare the athlete a man? Is there a certain level of endogenous testosterone that disqualifies a genetic female from competing as a woman?

I think that for most cases, if there is a Y chromosome present the athlete would be considered genetically male and if no Y, a female. Kleinfelters syndrome (XXY) are males. They have a female fat distribution but normal male external genitalia.

There are many causes of ambiguous genitalia and true hermaphroditism is the rarest. Those people can have a variety of genetic types and I suppose if she were to be a true hermaphrodite who was a 46XX/46XY chimera, you could argue about adding other criteria to establish gender but I don't think there is any standard to use. True hermaphrodites are EXTRAORDINARILY rare, however so if she were born with ambiguous genitalia (which might have been surgically corrected so dropping the pants may be of no use) she is much more likely to be genetically male or female.

Testicular Feminization might pose a dilemma since they are genetically entirely XY and have testes and not ovaries but these people are so perfectly female on the outside that even they are unaware of anything often until they have an infertility workup so they probably wouldn't arouse any suspicion.

Edited October 21, 2009 by Wei&Shu(Joe)

[Peikko 1,575]

I knew no woman could hold such a record and MC you thought that it had to do with the fact that he wasnt a American and that was why I didnt report story.

So what have we learned from this, well I will tell you. Embrace the differences between men and woman because when they come together its one hell of a force.

Can I please have a translation? I have no idea what you are accusing me of thinking.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Whatever the case, said person is one hell of an athlete people. And at least I can respect that. #######.

[AlHayatZween 2]

i hope she will still be able to run.

if they don't let her run as a woman, i hope she can compete with the men, and i hope she kicks all their a$$es.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

i hope she will still be able to run.

if they don't let her run as a woman, i hope she can compete with the men, and i hope she kicks all their a$$es.

I completely agree with you. Arguing about someone with such prodigious use of her/his body is being plain stupid.

[Krikit 1,164]

Inappropriate post removed.

[Peikko 1,575]

Damn, missed another one.