The wait is finally over for Caster Semenya – gender verification tests by the International Association of Athletics Federations have proven the South African runner to be female. The IAAF needed a mere 11 months to determine Caster Semenya’s sex. Semenya can again “compete with immediate effect,” according to an IAAF press release given to NBC Sports and other media outlets.
Caster Semenya will compete at the World Junior Championships
On July 19, 2010, Caster Semenya will return to competition at the World Junior Championships in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. Beyond this, little is known about the current state of the Caster Semenya saga, as details concerning the IAAF investigation will remain confidential. Semenya is eager to return to the track. Whether she had to undergo surgery as part of an IAAF agreement is unknown, but speculation remains.
South Africa – why the ambiguity?
After Caster Semenya’s dominant gold medal performance within the 800 meter run at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, reports of Semenya’s inconsistent gender testing results surfaced. As outlined by various sources, Semenya’s results showed that she had male and female sex organs. The subsequent ruling by the IAAF that Caster Semenya was barred from competition turned South African fans squarely against the amateur sport’s governing body. In the interim, the world media had a field day with a topic that remains controversial. But perhaps it’s not as sensational as they make it seem in this unisex age. Caster Semenya could be seen as a harbinger of a new breed. Whichever the case, the IAAF has given the young woman the green light to run, which is her legal right according to her attorney, Jeffrey Kessler.
Will you share your Caster Semenya opinions?
Do you believe that Caster Semenya was treated appropriately by the IAAF? Does her physiology grant her an unfair advantage over her female peers? Or is it a case of female athletes using whatever legal means available to gain an advantage on the playing field? Getting a leg up out of the starter’s block could be the difference between endorsements or obscurity. Caster Semenya clearly has the skill, and she’s running after her piece of the pie. We welcome your thoughts.
Citations:
NBC Sports
nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38105633/
