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Semenya faces gender probe
2009-08-19 09:33
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Adnaan MohamedCape Town – Do you want me to show you?
That was the reaction of South Africa’s new 800m sensation, Caster Semenya, when asked if she is a man or a woman.
Semenya ran the fastest time in the world in the 800m at the African Athletic Championships in Mauritius earlier this year.
The 18-year-old is the favourite to win the final of the 800m on Wednesday night (21:35 SA time) at the World Athletic Championships in Berlin.
According to her coach, Michael Seme, there has been speculation about Semenya’s gender for a while now and he feels it’s important that he clears the air to avoid any future controversy.
“We understand that people will ask questions because she looks like a man. It’s a natural reaction and it’s only human to be curious,” said Seme.
Seme added that when they stopped at a petrol station in Cape Town recently and Semenya entered the female toilets, the petrol attendants prevented her from doing so because they were convinced she was a man.
“Caster just laughed and asked if they would like her to take off her pants to show them she was a woman,” said Seme.
The coach said he found it funny, but he doesn’t have any problems with it because he is 100% certain that Semenya is a woman.
“People probably have the right to ask such questions if they are in doubt. But I can give you the telephone numbers of her room-mates in Berlin. They have already seen her naked in the showers and she has nothing to hide,” Seme explained.
According to the media liaison of Athletics South Africa (ASA), Ethel Manyaka, ASA would not send an athlete to the World Championships if they were not certain about the participant’s gender.
"President of ASA, Leonard Cheuene, knows something like that will create a huge controversy. How are we going to do it besides asking her to show us her private parts?” quipped Manyaka.
ASA have not tested Semenya.
“The African Junior Championships in Mauritius was an IAAF event and they would not have allowed her to participate in the World Champs in Berlin if she did not pass their stringent tests.
“World class athletes like Maria Mutola (Mozambique), Pamela Jelimo (Kenya), Ariane Friederich (Germany) and many other top athletes from Russia and the Ukraine look like men,” added Manyaka.
Two prominent Australian newspapers, the
Sydney Morning Herald and
The Australian, reported on their websites that there is uncertainty surrounding Semenya’s gender.
They allege that gender tests have been carried out on her and the chances are good that she will be disqualified before Wednesday night's final in Berlin.
Gender bender? (File)