Renee Richards breaks down X's and Y's of Semenya situation
Aug. 25, 2009
By Gregg Doyel
CBSSports.com National Columnist
http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/12111173 (http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/12111173)
Renee Richards expected my call Monday night. Maybe not a call from me, specifically -- but a call from someone like me. From a sports writer wanting to talk about South African runner Caster Semenya, the most famous ambiguously gendered athlete since ... Renee Richards in 1977.
"I knew my phone would ring," she told me from her home in upstate New York. "It always does when something like this happens."
"This" was the weekend emergence of Semenya, 18, as the women's world champion in the 800 meters. Because of Semenya's masculine form and deep voice, the International Association of Athletics Federation tested her genetic makeup to determine, basically, if she's too much of a man to compete against women.
I understand where Dr. Richards is coming from, but gads, I hope it doesn't come down to "gender" testing every athlete before they can compete in any sporting event.
If she's a woman, raised as a woman, believes she is a woman.. then no matter the genetics.. she is a woman.
I realize it is more complicated than that, but goodness.. can't folks just let things be?
Renee Richards breaks down X's and Y's of Semenya situation
http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/12111173 (http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/12111173)
Gregg Doyel
8/25/09
Renee Richards expected my call Monday night. Maybe not a call from me, specifically -- but a call from someone like me. From a sports writer wanting to talk about South African runner Caster Semenya, the most famous ambiguously gendered athlete since ... Renee Richards in 1977.
"I knew my phone would ring," she told me from her home in upstate New York. "It always does when something like this happens."
"This" was the weekend emergence of Semenya, 18, as the women's world champion in the 800 meters. Because of Semenya's masculine form and deep voice, the International Association of Athletics Federation tested her genetic makeup to determine, basically, if she's too much of a man to compete against women.
OK, for all you non-jocks, which I know is most of you, there is a difference, and an important one. At the height of her career RR was rated 20th. No big shakes in a sport where only the top ten make any real money. This young woman just shaved an entire second off the record for the 880, a sport where record changes are in tenths, if not hundredths, of a second, a second is like taking 20 minutes off your best Indy 500 time. So they knew, as soon as she did that in competition, there were going to be questions. And I'm just as sure, they are prepared for that. As is she. After all, she's not a regular human being - she is a major world class athlete - with all the perks, and problems, that go with that now.
Ooops.. you found me out. ;D
Absolutely and totally guilty and clueless as charged when it comes to sports.. unless it is rapier or heavy armor or axe throwing, still shaky on archery.. ok, a little shaky on rapier and heavy armor.. but I can throw an axe..;)
Well let's just say, that I took a full second off the men's 880 record, you bet I'd be tested, tested, and tested again for every chemical under the sun. This is not baseball or football after all.