Here again are pictures of South Africa’s runner Caster Semenya. What is Caster Semenya’s gender? Is the runner really a woman, or actually a man?
In update to LALATE’s earlier story, Caster Semenya has now won the 800 finals at the world championships tonight. But after enormous gains in her personal best times in the 800 and 1500 in recent weeks, officials are wondering - is Caster a man?
Caster Semenya is 18 and from Polokwane, Limpopo.
Nick Davies with IAAF issued the following statement to press tonight:
“In the case of this athlete, following her breakthrough in the African junior championships, the gossip was starting to build up … The situation today is that we do not have any conclusive evidence that she should not be allowed to run…. It would be wrong today to take a decision to withdraw an athlete. This is a medical condition. It is nothing that she has done. There is a need to make sure rules are followed. We are more concerned for the person and not to make this as something that is humiliating.”
The gender test will involve an internal medicine specialist and an expert on gender. Issues that will be tackled are reports from a gynecologist, endocrinologist, and psychologist. South Africa team manager Phiwe Mlangeni-Tsholetsane says of Caster the following:
“[T]here was no cheating on our part. We entered Caster as a woman and we want to keep it that way. Our conscience is clear in terms of Caster. We have no reservations at all about that.”
Officials give no timeline as to when the test will be complete.
