Metro Weekly

Women’s track star, Semenya, receives feminizing makeover; Tests reveal her to have both male and female sex traits

”There certainly is evidence Semenya is a hermaphrodite. But the trouble is the IAAF now have the whole ANC and the whole of South Africa on their backs. Everything is going to have to be done absolutely by the book, no question of a challenge to our findings. There’s all sorts of scans you do. This is why it’s complicated. In the past you used to do a gynaecological exam, blood test, chromosome test, whatever. That’s why they (the findings) were challenged, because it’s not quite so simple. The problem for us is to avoid it being an issue now which is very personal: of the organs being a hermaphrodite, of not being a ‘real’ woman. It’s very dramatic.”

An unnamed source reported to be close to the investigation of Caster Semenya, a South African track star who recently won a gold medal in the Women’s 800m by a surprisingly wide margin. Questions about Semenya’s gender and qualification for competition against other women immediately made headlines around the world. If this finding is accurate that Semenya, 18, does not have a womb and internal testes instead of ovaries, then it blurs the lines of distinction and puts in doubt her future in competitive sports. (Daily Telegraph)


Cover of image “You Magazine” a People-type magazine that asked track star Caster Semenya to be a model. Her dramatic makeover is of interest because until today, there has been widespread speculation that she has been either a man cleverly competing in women’s sports or taking heavy doses of testoserone-like performance enhancing drugs. But, it is being reported today that test results have been leaked to the press, and she is said to be intersex — that is naturally possessing physical traits of both sexes. (You Magazine)


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