Caster Semenya, a South African runner, won the 800-meter race at the World Championships, but a controversy has arisen that may result in her giving back her medal.
“She was not accused of trying to cheat, but of perhaps unknowingly having a medical condition that blurs her gender and gives her an unfair advantage” (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090825/ap_on_sp_ot/af_south_africa_semenya_s_return). Questions arose about her muscular build and deep voice.
Tests were done which showed she has male and female sexual organs. She has no ovaries and has internal male testes, which produce large amounts of testosterone. She underwent blood and chromosome tests as well as a gynecological examination.
The IAAF said she probably would not lose her medal because it was not related to doping (http://www.comcast.net/articles/sports-general/20090911/Semenya-Gender.Test).
Semenya’s supporters say the allegations against her are motivated by jealousy and show racial discrimination against Africans (http://news.yahoo.com).
I believe it is disgraceful the way this young woman has been publicly humiliated. Sensitive matters like this should be handled delicately and privately. If her medal is not taken back, it wouldn’t have been necessary to publish these results.
Would an American or a man be treated this way? I think not.
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