Caster Semenya: Once a Victor, Twice a Victim

Australian Newspaper The Daily Telegraph has scooped the long awaited results of 800m World Champion, Caster Semenya's gender verification tests. According to the Telegraph she is a hermaphrodite.

It turns out that Semenya has no womb or ovaries and 3 times the testosterone of a 'normal' woman. On top of that, she has 'internal testes'  which produce testosterone in men. The Telegraph's source was quoted as saying that the South Africa Athletics Association (ASA) 'have known for months, for years, that she's not normal. They could have set in process these kind of tests if they had been more responsible.''. They do have explaining to do.

If this is true Semenya has been twice shamed, first by the IAAF's insensitive and public handling of the controversy and now the her own Nation's athletics authority that may have had the ability to protect from international media scrutiny and ridicule. No doubt, the South African Government which objected to the IAAF's approach to the allegations of sexism and racism, will be running feverish damage control and madly trying to wipe the egg that is squarely on its face.

This revelation comes after a spread in You South Africa presenting Semenya in very feminine fashion shots. But behind the concerns of gold medals and protocol is the apparent serious health concern for the athlete. She is apparently being urged to undergo corrective surgery as soon as possible.

Beyond even the medical concerns is what the cumulative effect of all the attention and the discovery of her physical ambiguity may be having on the 18 year old. Still more questions abound. Was Semenya aware of her ambiguity? Does this negate the concerns of sexism and racism (no doubt a rabid hatred of blacks did surface in the blogosphere)? Is the IAAF still guilty of impropriety in handling the publicity of the inquiry? And will the IAAF allow her to keep her gold medal? The really big question though: how did the results reach the media and who is this so-called 'leak'?

The answers will come. And if this report is to be trusted we can only hope that the strength Semenya has exhibited thus far will take her though the challenges ahead. 

Usain Bolt: A New Kind of Champion

The focus of many commentators, reporters and other athletes regarding Usain Bolt has been (apart from his speed) his colourful personality. He has shown us all, not a just a new way to finish a race, but a new to start one.

The old school athletics dripped with aggression, intimidation, bravado, over-seriousness and an insular kind of focus that now palls in the face of Usain's joy, mischievous spirit and relaxed inclusive approach. It even seems to have rubbed off on Asafa Powell - and helped!

When the Americans were dominant (and they can still run - don't get me wrong) we looked on as they grimaced intimidatingly in the pre-race warm-up ritual (as demonstrated by Gay's stony display at the IAAF World Championship 100m final). And the finish? Well an American victory meant there was shouting, ripping off of jerseys and showing off of abs and the dominant alpha-dog posturing (mainly among the men) that made us just that much more grudging of their success.

Now Bolt showboats like nobody's business, but one wants to celebrate with him - not grudge him. Mind you, the massive gap between himself and his nearest competitor helps justify his exuberance - but that's the point - we are not intimidated by his approach, just his performance and ability. We are entertained by his approach rather than insulted.

Now more than ever, Ato Bolden's (NBC commentator) and Jacque Rogge's (IOC President) admonition of Bolt's celebration after his record breaking Olympic performance, seem petty, even irrelevant. As it is, some seem to think that NBC is now ignoring Bolt. Sour grapes?

The other side of course, is that Bolt is a sponsor's dream. Indeed, he has all the players in the track and field industry salivating at his marketability and pulling power. He fills stadiums and his personality can, will and has sold products (take note of the Bolt Arms). Whether we like it or not, money talks, and as long as Bolt being Bolt keeps the cash registers ringing, everybody will be happy, except those losing to him, and even then. But one can well imagine sponsors pressing the networks, media houses and governing officials to let Bolt do what he does best for the sake of the bottom line.

There is no doubt that Bolt is more than the best thing that happened to Jamaican athletics - he's the best thing that happened to athletics, period. He is doing for track and field what Michael Jordan did for the American NBA franchise and what Tiger Woods has done for golf. And like all products (and Bolt is fast becoming a brand) there are competitors.

It wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that some shoe brand or country or track club with the resources, is now scouring every corner of the earth to find a six-foot five sprinter. Every Britney Spears needs a Christina Aguilera. Every Coke needs a Pepsi. Every Nike needs a Puma. Will they find Bolt's Federer? Michael Johnson suggested during the IAAF coverage, that another like him wouldn't appear in his (Johnson's) lifetime.

Perhaps we should just sit back and enjoy the show that we have all been privileged to see.

Caster Semenya: Mixed a Gender?

The young 800 meter World Champion, Caster Semenya's gender has come into question and is currently being verified by the IAAF. In truth, on seeing her for the first time one can't help but notice just how masculine she is - she is very masculine in appearance. The querying of her gender is quite understandable. (Con't after picture)

BBC1 reporters and commentators repeatedly stressed how embarrassing and inappropriate the investigation was - they repeated it so often one had to wonder if they were really concerned about Semenya's dignity and privacy. The loss of the gold would mean a silver medal for Jenny Meadows, the hard-working Brit who placed third in the 800m final. When asked what other athletes thought about Semenya's gender, Meadow's diplomatic but evasive answer spoke volumes.

Michael Johnson acknowledged the need for the test but said that the IAAF was going about it all wrong. This is true - but so is the media. The extreme attention and copious expressions of sympathy come across as disingenuous - if not downright hypocritical. Would the very public airing of this very private matter, at the time it took place ever have happened if the media wasn't complicit? Instead of singing on the issue, why not downplay it and let the IAAF do its work?

Certainly the IAAF is doing what is has to do - but could it not have been done with even a modicum of discretion?

Johnson also noted that cheating was rife in the past 10 years, but with regards to doping - would the extreme of gender reassignment really be worth a gold medal? And in Semenya's case, it wouldn't have been a convincing reassignment (no disrespect meant). At least one athlete, Stella Walsh, a Polish Olympic medalist in the 1930's, was found to be hermaphroditic decades after her victories (upon her tragic death). That is not something for which she can be blamed. The point is that something as intimate as one's gender can have any number of complications that don't include the intervention of man. Semenya could be one such case - or simply a masculine looking female.

Kudos to Semenya herself who, at just 18, has risen to the top of her field despite almost getting herself and the former 800m world champion disqualified and then running under the fickle microscope of public opinion only to win confidently and convincingly. Good for her.

The results have yet to come out and may take weeks or months. But whatever happens it's too late to be discrete or sensitive about the situation. If there is some wrongdoing involved it might just be more than Semenya who is guilty of it.

Watch the video

Great Has a Number: An Ode to Usain Bolt on a new world record

Great has colour: black, green & gold

It has a name and a number - it is lightening and thunder.

Great has a new name for the old one is old

Because new stories of greatness are about to be told.

Great has a number and now the world knows

The greater the number, the lower it goes.

It has shape and form, swagger and style

And makes minutes look longer - much longer than miles.

If Great has a number, what is the number of Great?

It's one number in three: 9.58