Australia- Doubts raised over boxer's gender

[SandraJane]

The Sydney Morning Herald



Doubts raised over boxer's gender


Date: July 15, 2012 | CAMERON HOUSTON


http://www.smh.com.au/sport/boxing/doubts-raised-over-boxers-gender-20120714-2231s.html


A FEMALE boxer from Thailand recorded "highly suspicious" levels of testosterone before a world title fight in Melbourne on Friday night, again plunging the sport into controversy.

With women's boxing about to debut at the London Olympics, Thai bantamweight Usanakorn Kokietgym was detected with three times the normal level of testosterone for a woman, amid widespread speculation about her gender.

The 24-year-old had been ordered to undergo hormone testing before fighting the Australian champion, Susie Ramadan, whose trainer, Barry Michael, had accused Usanakorn of punching "harder than most blokes I know".

[Cindy]

I would have thought that if any sports person had higher than normal levels of steroids for their sexual presentation and age then they would be disqualified or at least have to justify the levels and be examined regularly to ensure that they are complying with anti-doping laws.

[Bexi]

I remember there was also that furore over the gender of the South African runner Castor Semenya at the World Championships a couple of years ago. The way she was hounded by the press was both shameful and deeply regrettable. I hope the same doesn't happen here, unless of course she is found to be cheating.
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