Other Sports South African receives gold medal amid gender controversy - Page 3

**BigMeatballDave** · GBM 8-12-15

BERLIN - With controversy swirling over her gender, South African teenager Caster Semenya bowed her head to received the gold medal for her 800-metre world title on Thursday as officials and family came to her defence.

The 18-year-old Semenya dominated her rivals to win the 800 by a commanding margin on Wednesday despite revelations that surfaced earlier in the day that she was undergoing a gender verification test because of concerns she does not meet the requirements to compete as a woman.

When asked by a reporter while walking into the medal ceremony how she was feeling, Semenya smiled and said, "Good, man."

Semenya waved to the crowd as she mounted the podium at the Olympic Stadium to receive her gold medal. Dressed in a yellow and green track suit, she then stood with her hands behind her back and mouthed the words to the South African national anthem as the country's flag was raised.

Afterward, she flashed a big smile as she posed for photographers with her medal.

"She said to me she doesn't see what the big deal is all about," South Africa team manager Phiwe Mlangeni-Tsholetsane said. "She believes it is God given talent and she will exercise it."

About three weeks ago, the IAAF asked the South African athletics federation to conduct the gender test after Semenya burst onto the scene by posting a world leading time of one minute 56.72 seconds at the African junior championships in Bambous, Mauritius.

The teenager's stunning improvement in times, along with her muscular build and deep voice, sparked speculation about her gender. On Wednesday - the day of her first world championship final - revelations surfaced she was undergoing the test.

South African athletics federation president Leonard Chuene staunchly defended the teenager Thursday, and insisted Semenya is facing intense scrutiny because she is African.

"It would not be like that if it were some young girl from Europe," Chuene told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "If it was a white child, she would be sitting somewhere with a psychologist, but this is an African child."

Chuene also said there was no evidence to prove Semenya was doing anything wrong.

"If there was evidence, she would have been stopped," Chuene said. "Where I come from, you're innocent until proven guilty.

"They're judging her based on what?" Chuene added. "Who can give me conclusive evidence? I want someone to do that."

Semenya did not attend the medal winners' news conference after winning Wednesday night's race by a margin of more than two seconds in 1:55.45. She was replaced at the dais by IAAF general secretary Pierre Weiss.

Weiss said the testing was ordered because of "ambiguity, not because we believe she is cheating."

If the tests show that Semenya is not a woman, she would be stripped of her gold medal, Weiss said.

The verification test, which takes weeks to complete, requires a physical medical evaluation, and includes reports from a gynecologist, endocrinologist, psychologist, an internal medicine specialist and an expert on gender.

"We have to be very scrupulously fair and sensitive about" the issue, IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said Thursday. "It's all very well people saying she's a man, she looks like a man - that's not good enough. You have to be very careful and cautious about that."

Davies added that Semenya has already undergone some of the necessary tests at specialist hospitals in South Africa and Berlin. He said that some of the documents in Berlin on Semenya's case were leaked.

Gender testing used to be mandatory for female athletes at the Olympics, but the screenings were dropped in 1999.

One reason for the change was that not all women have standard female chromosomes. In addition, there are cases of people who have ambiguous genitalia or other congenital conditions.

The most common cause of sexual ambiguity is congenital adrenal hyperplasia, an endocrine disorder where the adrenal glands produce abnormally high levels of hormones.

Morris Gilbert, a media consultant for TuksSport, the University of Pretoria's sports department, said the issue of Semenya's gender has not been raised since the 18-year-old freshman began attending the school, where she studies sports science.

He attributed her recent success to hard work and rigorous training.

"She trains a lot," Gilbert said. "If you go to the athletics track, you're sure to find her there. I don't think she had really good training before she came to the university. She's from a very poor area."

But Semenya's former school headmaster said he thought for years that the student was a boy.

"She was always rough and played with the boys. She liked soccer and she wore pants to school. She never wore a dress. It was only in Grade 11 that I realized she's a girl," Eric Modiba, head of the Nthema Secondary School, told the Beeld newspaper.

Semenya's family in the village of Fairlie, about 500 kilometres north of Johannesburg, said she was often teased about her boyish looks.

"That's how God made her," said Semenya's cousin, Evelyn Sekgala. "We brought her up in a way that when people start making fun of her, she shouldn't get upset."

Semenya moved to Fairlie at about the age of 13 to help care for her grandmother, Maphuthi Sekgala.

Her cousin Evelyn, who also lives with the grandmother, remembers Semenya playing football with the village boys, before a teacher got her interested in running.

Evelyn said the family was pleased Semenya took up an interest in sports, and not in drinking and partying like other teenagers.

Her grandmother would give her money to enter races.

"She was mainly interested in running," Evelyn said. "She wanted to further her athletic dream."

While Semenya's case has attracted a flurry of attention, it's not the first gender controversy in track and field history.

In 2006, the Asian Games 800 champion, Santhi Soundarajan of India, was stripped of her medal after failing a gender test. Perhaps the most famous case is that of Stella Walsh, also known as Stanislawa Walasiewicz, a Polish athlete who won gold in the 100 at the 1932 Olympics, and was later found to have had ambiguous genitalia.

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slu...ress&type=lgns

salame · 08-21-2009, 01:00 AM

**BigRichard** · 08-21-2009, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by salame

I think we need some gender identification on this one. Can I get a ruling judges?

Consistent1 · 08-21-2009, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoreLemonPledge

Here's a test...does it have a penis? No? Does it have a vagina? Yes?

Test done.

I just texted Wendler. Sadly I am being ignored. Don't know what the **** he is doing, but he has not shown up to conduct the test yet. We need to know homey. You might have a nice time bro.....

Duck Dog · 08-21-2009, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultra Peanut

You people are ****in' gross.

Golly, it's almost as if even being perceived as gender nonconforming leads to awful ostracization from "normal" people.

WE? LOL....

We're ****ing gross.

Ultra Peanut · 08-21-2009, 11:44 AM

Yes, you. You and people like you are ****ing monstrous. Hope that helps.

Ebolapox · 08-21-2009, 12:33 PM

Hail, Hail Robonia. A place that I Didn't make up.

CoMoChief · 08-21-2009, 12:35 PM

I see no bulge in the pants.........so I guess he's a she.........if male, you'd see a huge manaconda bulging out .......cuz Hey .......brotha's be packin'

CoMoChief · 08-21-2009, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRichard

I think we need some gender identification on this one. Can I get a ruling judges?

What is.....someone that needs to be deported out into space, Alex?

**BigMeatballDave** · 08-21-2009, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

I see no bulge in the pants.........so I guess he's a she.........if male, you'd see a huge manaconda bulging out .......cuz Hey .......brotha's be packin'

Look. More proof that you're a moron...

**morphius** · 08-21-2009, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WoodDraw

It's actually a lot more complicated than that. To quote "The Science of Sport" blog:

The entire thing is sad though. Regardless of how it ends up, remember she's only 18. And this has never been a case of willful cheating. If she ends up being disqualified it will be for some type of genetic disorder, not deceit.

But the entire situation has been handled poorly. I hope it all gets sorted out quickly. Last time this played out in the media, the person ended up trying to commit suicide.

That was my thought as well, could very easily just be a genetic/hormone disorder if anything. And really, the hair style does nothing to help her look feminine.

Skyy God · 08-21-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I was hoping that this topic wouldn't be raised on the 'Planet.

It's as if you doubt this place has the empathy, understanding, or nuance to address issues such as this.....

RippedmyFlesh · 08-21-2009, 01:01 PM

The verification test, which takes weeks to complete, requires a physical medical evaluation, and includes reports from a gynecologist, endocrinologist, psychologist, an internal medicine specialist and an expert on gender.

Even in SF I wouldn't need weeks to know.
To me this isn't a trans gender social issue it's simple.
If this person is a he then he cheated plain and simple.

08-20-2009, 01:32 PM
BigMeatballDave GBM 8-12-15 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Dayton, Oh. Casino cash: $10052154	South African receives gold medal amid gender controversy BERLIN - With controversy swirling over her gender, South African teenager Caster Semenya bowed her head to received the gold medal for her 800-metre world title on Thursday as officials and family came to her defence. The 18-year-old Semenya dominated her rivals to win the 800 by a commanding margin on Wednesday despite revelations that surfaced earlier in the day that she was undergoing a gender verification test because of concerns she does not meet the requirements to compete as a woman. When asked by a reporter while walking into the medal ceremony how she was feeling, Semenya smiled and said, "Good, man." Semenya waved to the crowd as she mounted the podium at the Olympic Stadium to receive her gold medal. Dressed in a yellow and green track suit, she then stood with her hands behind her back and mouthed the words to the South African national anthem as the country's flag was raised. Afterward, she flashed a big smile as she posed for photographers with her medal. "She said to me she doesn't see what the big deal is all about," South Africa team manager Phiwe Mlangeni-Tsholetsane said. "She believes it is God given talent and she will exercise it." About three weeks ago, the IAAF asked the South African athletics federation to conduct the gender test after Semenya burst onto the scene by posting a world leading time of one minute 56.72 seconds at the African junior championships in Bambous, Mauritius. The teenager's stunning improvement in times, along with her muscular build and deep voice, sparked speculation about her gender. On Wednesday - the day of her first world championship final - revelations surfaced she was undergoing the test. South African athletics federation president Leonard Chuene staunchly defended the teenager Thursday, and insisted Semenya is facing intense scrutiny because she is African. "It would not be like that if it were some young girl from Europe," Chuene told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "If it was a white child, she would be sitting somewhere with a psychologist, but this is an African child." Chuene also said there was no evidence to prove Semenya was doing anything wrong. "If there was evidence, she would have been stopped," Chuene said. "Where I come from, you're innocent until proven guilty. "They're judging her based on what?" Chuene added. "Who can give me conclusive evidence? I want someone to do that." Semenya did not attend the medal winners' news conference after winning Wednesday night's race by a margin of more than two seconds in 1:55.45. She was replaced at the dais by IAAF general secretary Pierre Weiss. Weiss said the testing was ordered because of "ambiguity, not because we believe she is cheating." If the tests show that Semenya is not a woman, she would be stripped of her gold medal, Weiss said. The verification test, which takes weeks to complete, requires a physical medical evaluation, and includes reports from a gynecologist, endocrinologist, psychologist, an internal medicine specialist and an expert on gender. "We have to be very scrupulously fair and sensitive about" the issue, IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said Thursday. "It's all very well people saying she's a man, she looks like a man - that's not good enough. You have to be very careful and cautious about that." Davies added that Semenya has already undergone some of the necessary tests at specialist hospitals in South Africa and Berlin. He said that some of the documents in Berlin on Semenya's case were leaked. Gender testing used to be mandatory for female athletes at the Olympics, but the screenings were dropped in 1999. One reason for the change was that not all women have standard female chromosomes. In addition, there are cases of people who have ambiguous genitalia or other congenital conditions. The most common cause of sexual ambiguity is congenital adrenal hyperplasia, an endocrine disorder where the adrenal glands produce abnormally high levels of hormones. Morris Gilbert, a media consultant for TuksSport, the University of Pretoria's sports department, said the issue of Semenya's gender has not been raised since the 18-year-old freshman began attending the school, where she studies sports science. He attributed her recent success to hard work and rigorous training. "She trains a lot," Gilbert said. "If you go to the athletics track, you're sure to find her there. I don't think she had really good training before she came to the university. She's from a very poor area." But Semenya's former school headmaster said he thought for years that the student was a boy. "She was always rough and played with the boys. She liked soccer and she wore pants to school. She never wore a dress. It was only in Grade 11 that I realized she's a girl," Eric Modiba, head of the Nthema Secondary School, told the Beeld newspaper. Semenya's family in the village of Fairlie, about 500 kilometres north of Johannesburg, said she was often teased about her boyish looks. "That's how God made her," said Semenya's cousin, Evelyn Sekgala. "We brought her up in a way that when people start making fun of her, she shouldn't get upset." Semenya moved to Fairlie at about the age of 13 to help care for her grandmother, Maphuthi Sekgala. Her cousin Evelyn, who also lives with the grandmother, remembers Semenya playing football with the village boys, before a teacher got her interested in running. Evelyn said the family was pleased Semenya took up an interest in sports, and not in drinking and partying like other teenagers. Her grandmother would give her money to enter races. "She was mainly interested in running," Evelyn said. "She wanted to further her athletic dream." While Semenya's case has attracted a flurry of attention, it's not the first gender controversy in track and field history. In 2006, the Asian Games 800 champion, Santhi Soundarajan of India, was stripped of her medal after failing a gender test. Perhaps the most famous case is that of Stella Walsh, also known as Stanislawa Walasiewicz, a Polish athlete who won gold in the 100 at the 1932 Olympics, and was later found to have had ambiguous genitalia. http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slu...ress&type=lgns
Posts: 59,997

08-21-2009, 01:00 AM	#31
salame Under the Sofa Join Date: Apr 2009 Casino cash: $10010607
Posts: 4,907

08-21-2009, 11:44 AM	#35
Ultra Peanut v^V^v^V^v^V^ Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Holland* Casino cash: $10005177	Yes, you. You and people like you are ****ing monstrous. Hope that helps. __________________
Posts: 39,518

08-21-2009, 12:33 PM	#36
Ebolapox remember, remember Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: como Casino cash: $1779903	Hail, Hail Robonia. A place that I Didn't make up.
Posts: 26,437

08-21-2009, 12:35 PM	#37
CoMoChief Mahomes Dynasty Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Parts Unknown Casino cash: $8032254	I see no bulge in the pants.........so I guess he's a she.........if male, you'd see a huge manaconda bulging out .......cuz Hey .......brotha's be packin'
Posts: 39,164

08-21-2009, 01:01 PM	#42
RippedmyFlesh Veteran Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New York Casino cash: $10005817	The verification test, which takes weeks to complete, requires a physical medical evaluation, and includes reports from a gynecologist, endocrinologist, psychologist, an internal medicine specialist and an expert on gender. Even in SF I wouldn't need weeks to know. To me this isn't a trans gender social issue it's simple. If this person is a he then he cheated plain and simple.
Posts: 4,848