Bloke wins Womens World 800 Metres?

[Sir Brian]

At The Athletics World Championships currently taking place in Berlin...

BBC SPORT | Athletics | Semenya told to take gender test (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8210471.stm)

South African 800m star Caster Semenya has been asked to take a gender test, according to athletics' governing body.

The International Association of Athletics Federations says it demanded the test three weeks ago amid fears she should not be able to run as a woman.

IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said the "extremely complex, difficult" test results were not due for several weeks.

The South African athletics federation insist it is "completely sure" that the 18-year-old Semenya is a female.


:boff: :boff: :boff:

I'd Hit It! :bleh:

[swiss miss]

At The Athletics World Championships currently taking place in Berlin...

BBC SPORT | Athletics | Semenya told to take gender test (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8210471.stm)

South African 800m star Caster Semenya has been asked to take a gender test, according to athletics' governing body.

The International Association of Athletics Federations says it demanded the test three weeks ago amid fears she should not be able to run as a woman.

IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said the "extremely complex, difficult" test results were not due for several weeks.

The South African athletics federation insist it is "completely sure" that the 18-year-old Semenya is a female.


:boff: :boff: :boff:

I'd Hit It! :bleh:

i thought id get in and see that you had raised this issue!
hmmmm, difficult one, i tried to do some more extensive reading than the BBC website and there are various rumours that she was born a hermaphrodite having external genitalia both male and female..... which must have been quite difficult :S (im going to assume this is true for the rest of my post, if its not then this doesnt matter much)
As i understand she has been raised all her life as a female... i dont know if this is, how can i put this, "technically" easier in terms of surgery, one might presume it is. I think the genetic testing will have to be done and the result will determine whether in the athletic world she is male or female... this should have no effect on how she or the rest of the world perceives herself, she is a female, she may just not be able to compete as a female. Its going to be very traumatic time for her, i feel, and its all very sad for someone who may well have gone through a hell of a lot already in her life...... all that being said this isnt the first time this has happened and probably wont be the last, the IAAF has (and im sure will) to be consistent and the genetic testing has to be done.

[Sir Brian]

Ima gonna be thoroughly sensitive on this issue Swiss... :flowers: :P

I cannot imagine anything more humiliating and damaging happening to a person than this. The timing and openess of the IAAF's investigation is absolutely fucking doisgusting.

All joking asside, the IAAF are 100% in the wrong for A) starting this investigation just 3 weeks before the Championships and B) for releasing a public statement on the issue just 3 1/2 hours before the 800 Metre final.

This is quite possibly the most undignified thing that could happen to someone, especially on the world stage. It wouldn't suprise me - without going out my way to generate hyperbole :blah: :whistle: - if this poor lass were to top herself some time down the line. Especially if, as expected, she is found to be a "he"....



:|

[Blade]

i cant see why they did not just keep it quite do all the test that need to be done in the future then if she is infact an he strip him off the medal without all this uproar going on turning it into a media circus

[Dalamar]

contraversey = veiwing figures

its a sad world we live in people.........

[Sir Mankalot]

"We would not have entered her in the female competition if we had any doubts," said a statement.


ohhh the lulz are strong in this one.

[Jacx]

Really its not funny at all...The IAAF look like idiots in this one...however now the idea is out there they have no choice but to test...as Sir Brian said however the was its been done is pathetic.

Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) is something being touted about...and if it is so then she will be disqualified as apparently in the 80's gender testing was done becuase of a number of suspect cases and the rules defined back then stated that a female would have to be 100% female.

This one is deffo going to rumble on for a while.

Good debate about it on the BBC blog: BBC - BBC Sport: Tom Fordyce: Semenya left stranded by storm (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tomfordyce/2009/08/semenya_left_stranded_by_storm.html)

[swiss miss]

are the IAAF getting cold feet, do they think they have made an error??
BBC SPORT | Athletics | Semenya to keep World gold medal (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8245107.stm)

she looks way more feminine now anyway, surely there is no question that she is female........ end sarcasm
BBC NEWS | Africa | Makeover for SA gender-row runner (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8243553.stm)

[PunkRock]

they're all men anyway, look at them.