For Clark, Semenya’s former competitor, who has stayed in touch with her through social media, that’s uncomfortable territory.
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The Semi-Finals will be held on Friday 19 August.
Semenya wins gold at the 2009 World Championships at the age of 18, at which point increasing numbers of questions are asked about his gender.
Until then, there is a need to see Semenya as a human life out there in a world not of her making; a life without fault in relation to hyperandrogenism and eligibility – which are for lawyers and scientists to rule on.
Christopher Tollefsen, a University of California professor of philosophy, also told the OC Register that Semenya should compete in the Olympics even if she has higher levels of testosterone, she didn’t do anything against the rules to gain an advantage. This, in turn, can aid in the building of muscle – essential for an elite athlete.
As Semenya prepares to race for Olympic gold in the women’s 800 m, guest host Gill Deacon checks in with Pape.
Some of Semenya’s fellow 800m runners on Wednesday indicated, when pressed, that they wanted authorities to revisit rules that limit the amount of testosterone allowed in competitors.
Semenya is not the only Olympian thought to be hyperandrogenic.
Nonsense, says Morgan Carpenter, the co-chair of Organisation Intersex International Australia (OII Australia), an advocacy group for people with intersex traits. She worries that in the future countries will seek out intersex athletes to boost their women’s teams. “There definitely isn’t a clear one”.
“Hopefully we can see the other side of it now”. “Physically, there’s no one who can beat Caster”. If gender tests have to take place, they should have been done quietly.
“That is actually female genital mutilation and the United Nations recently said those medical interventions are unnecessary so the consequences can be dramatic”, he said.
Semenya is not without her supporters – a #HandsOffCaster hashtag has erupted on Twitter. It was leaked that she was undergoing gender testing, being subjected to medical examination to determine if she had an unfair advantage. We say congratulations to her and she has made us happy.
“Other athletes have their own natural advantages”. She seems to have long ago concluded the best statement she can make is to just keep showing up and running fast.
“I do feel for her. She is a man”.
Carpenter said the focus on testosterone didn’t extend to male athletes. The court said that testosterone level alone is not sufficient cause for preventing women from competing against women. She won silver at the World Championships in 2011 and again at London 2012 but did not come close to her best.
Others have pointed out the unique attributes of other elite athletes, such as Michael Phelps’ enormous 203cm arm span, are marvelled at rather than frowned upon.
Some athletes said racing against Semenya has forced them to improve. They are certainly a sporting one.
The 25-year-old is pictured in the middle of this portrait.
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“Hopefully they will find the right solution to fit everybody”.
