WORLD athletics is in crisis with revelations that world champion South African Caster Semenya is a hermaphrodite.
The International Association of Athletics Federations is poised to disqualify Semenya from future events after gender verification tests revealed evidence that she has no womb or ovaries and carries both male and female sexual organs, according to a report in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.
Sources involved in the IAAF testing, which involved various scans, said Semenya was found to have internal testes and three times the amount of testosterone that a “normal” female would have, the paper said.
The sport’s governing body, which has not decided whether or not it will strip Semenya of her 800m world championships gold medal in Berlin, will also advise the runner to seek immediate surgery, believing her condition poses significant health risks.
Semenya, 18, was believed to have gone into hiding last night and it is understood she is unlikely to appear in her first race since winning the gold last month.
Her coach, Michael Seme, said he was now uncertain whether Semenya would compete at the 4000 metres women’s event at the South African national cross-country championships in Pretoria tomorrow.
An IAAF spokesman said the international governing body has received the results of Semenya’s gender tests, but he would not discuss the findings.
“I simply haven’t seen the results,” the spokesman said.
“We have received the results from Germany, but they now need to be examined by a group of experts and we will not be in a position to speak to the athlete about them for at least a few weeks.
“After that, depending on the results, we will meet privately with the athlete to discuss further action.”
Semenya’s gender came under question following her victory in the 800m at last month’s world titles, causing outrage in South Africa. Indeed, the further deterioration of its relations with the country are believed to be all that is stopping the IAAF from stripping the runner of her medal.
The African National Congress MP and National Assembly sports committee chairman Butana Komphela has lodged a complaint with the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights accusing the IAAF of racism and sexism.
But some have claimed South Africa is turning a blind eye to what could be serious health concerns for the runner. The IAAF expects to receive a full set of medical results within days.
Leonard Chuene, the president of Athletics South Africa (ASA), which has been vocal in its criticism of the IAAF, said: “We cannot get involved in gossip of this sort. Our people will speak to Caster and ensure that she puts these rumours from her mind.”
The situation is extremely delicate because of a lack of precedents and Semenya’s profile in South Africa.
The IAAF’s policy document on gender verification states that if there is any suspicion, an athlete can be asked to go before a panel including a gynaecologist, psychologist and an expert on transgender issues.
In 2006 an Indian 800 metres runner, Santhi Soundarajan, was stripped of her silver medal at the Asian Games after failing a sex test. She was later found to have AIS and was reported to have made a suicide attempt.
Semenya’s mother Dorcus Semenya said last night: “Why must jealousy drive people to say such bad things? They are crazy. It must be jealousy that makes them say she is a man.”
Well her name is “Semen”-ya so it comes as little surprise!
So will she now be running with the guyz?