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[darwin dali]

I remember not too long ago the case of the Indian athlete Santhi Soundarajan who was stripped of silver medal in the Asian Games for failing a gender test. She had a condition called Androgen insensitivity syndrome and had no idea. As a result of the publicity, and the resulting stigma, she attempted suicide. Whatever the result of the gender test is in Semenya's case, I think that the whole thing has been hadled incredibly insensitively. A little discretion by the authorities would have been nice, this is a young girls life after all.

Well, it's less the authorities - they simply follow up on allegations made by the public, the media, etc., and it's their duty to do so. The Kenyans themselves have to shoulder part of the responsibility with their claim that they had done a test announcing the result (her being a woman) within hours. This is totally ridiculous as a thorough test requires weeks for the results to be available. It's not, as I tried to illustrate above, a matter of simply dropping the pants.

[darwin dali]

I knew I'd live to regret not taking the Genetics option at school. Learning about pesticides and fish farming seemed so much more interesting at the time.

I didn't think it was obvious, most genetic differences have no impact at all don't they? Without any sense of sarcasm intensed, do minor cases of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia have Williams sisters like effects? I had always wondered whether genetically those sort of women shared something with men that 'normal' women didn't.

I would bet a grand or so that the Williams sisters are among those 10% with deviations from the 'norm' - they most likely are genetically females, but have a condition that allows them to develop male-like attributes which leads to some degree of masculinization. Martina Navratilova or Jarmila Kratochvílová are other examples.

[Amanda]

I remember not too long ago the case of the Indian athlete Santhi Soundarajan who was stripped of silver medal in the Asian Games for failing a gender test. She had a condition called Androgen insensitivity syndrome and had no idea. As a result of the publicity, and the resulting stigma, she attempted suicide. Whatever the result of the gender test is in Semenya's case, I think that the whole thing has been hadled incredibly insensitively. A little discretion by the authorities would have been nice, this is a young girls life after all.

Well, it's less the authorities - they simply follow up on allegations made by the public, the media, etc., and it's their duty to do so. The Kenyans themselves have to shoulder part of the responsibility with their claim that they had done a test announcing the result (her being a woman) within hours. This is totally ridiculous as a thorough test requires weeks for the results to be available. It's not, as I tried to illustrate above, a matter of simply dropping the pants.

Indeed, it's hardly a simple situation.

Unfortunately the general public will hear the news of a gender test and automatically assume that the athlete is to blame. In reality the athlete usually has no idea that there is anything unusual about them. Specific tests are needed and they take time.

The timing of the initial statement was appalling, it was a matter of hours before the 800m final and completely unnecessary in my opinion. The testosterone results were reportedly leaked in a fax sent to the wrong person. It's completely unacceptable, whoever is to blame.

[Gaz]

I remember not too long ago the case of the Indian athlete Santhi Soundarajan who was stripped of silver medal in the Asian Games for failing a gender test. She had a condition called Androgen insensitivity syndrome and had no idea. As a result of the publicity, and the resulting stigma, she attempted suicide. Whatever the result of the gender test is in Semenya's case, I think that the whole thing has been hadled incredibly insensitively. A little discretion by the authorities would have been nice, this is a young girls life after all.

Well, it's less the authorities - they simply follow up on allegations made by the public, the media, etc., and it's their duty to do so. The Kenyans themselves have to shoulder part of the responsibility with their claim that they had done a test announcing the result (her being a woman) within hours. This is totally ridiculous as a thorough test requires weeks for the results to be available. It's not, as I tried to illustrate above, a matter of simply dropping the pants.

Indeed, it's hardly a simple situation.

Unfortunately the general public will hear the news of a gender test and automatically assume that the athlete is to blame. In reality the athlete usually has no idea that there is anything unusual about them. Specific tests are needed and they take time.

The timing of the initial statement was appalling, it was a matter of hours before the 800m final and completely unnecessary in my opinion. The testosterone results were reportedly leaked in a fax sent to the wrong person. It's completely unacceptable, whoever is to blame.

I don't see why it should have to be made public at all.

I hope somone gets spoken to about that fax too.

[Amanda]

I don't see why it should have to be made public at all.

I hope somone gets spoken to about that fax too.

It shouldn't have been. They've put an 18 year old girl under massive media scrutiny and completely humiliated her. It's bad enough that she has to go though these sorts of tests, without having it plastered all over the media.

[JamesD89]

Publicity means money, even if it means making people's lives hell.

What happens if she's found to be a man?

[darwin dali]

Publicity means money, even if it means making people's lives hell.

What happens if she's found to be a man?

She'll probably get a Braun shaver.

[Amanda]

Publicity means money, even if it means making people's lives hell.

What happens if she's found to be a man?

She'll probably be stripped of her medal and won't be allowed to compete against women.

[Gaz]

I don't see why it should have to be made public at all.

I hope somone gets spoken to about that fax too.

It shouldn't have been. They've put an 18 year old girl under massive media scrutiny and completely humiliated her. It's bad enough that she has to go though these sorts of tests, without having it plastered all over the media.

yeh its pretty distgusting, i hope its all cleared up soon anyway.

[JamesD89]

Publicity means money, even if it means making people's lives hell.

What happens if she's found to be a man?

She'll probably get a Braun shaver.

Oh dear, kick her when she's down eh?

She'll probably be stripped of her medal and won't be allowed to compete against women.

Where would her times put in the men's sport? Not that I could see switching, it's probably quite a big deal being told you're a man and all...

[Amanda]

Publicity means money, even if it means making people's lives hell.

What happens if she's found to be a man?

She'll probably get a Braun shaver.

Oh dear, kick her when she's down eh?

She'll probably be stripped of her medal and won't be allowed to compete against women.

Where would her times put in the men's sport? Not that I could see switching, it's probably quite a big deal being told you're a man and all...

She'd be well off the pace by about 10 seconds but I doubt it's that simple anyway. We don't know the nature of her condition, if indeed she even has one. I'm no expert but I don't think these test are going to categorically say she's a man.

[Jabberwocky]

I thought it would of just been a case of checking chromosome's


x......x......x.....y Oh you cheeky bloke.


on a more serious matter. I am sure that she is more worried about the fact that suddenly she could be a man. think of the psychological effect of that to a person.

If she does turn out to be a male could she then partisipate as a man? or would that not be allowed?

[RA Dunk]

Sky News latest, just in!!



The mother of Caster Semenya, womens 800 m world champion has expressed her outrage at her daughter having to undergo a gender test.



















She said "This is a real kick in the b******s for my daughter"

[Rivelution]

I'm pretty sure she is a woman, I've seen worse looking chicks at track meets before.

Did anyone else notice Usain Bolt's WR's in the 100 and 200 meter dashs'.

[darwin dali]

I'm pretty sure she is a woman, I've seen worse looking chicks at track meets before.

Did anyone else notice Usain Bolt's WR's in the 100 and 200 meter dashs'.

Yeah, amazing what doping can do