South African Runner:

[Daseal]

Okay, I have to poll the 'path on this one.

IAAF says it is reviewing gender tests on runner Caster Semenya of South Africa, won't decide until November - ESPN

If she's producing the testosterone of a man, don't you consider that an unfair advantage? Personally, if it comes out that she is producing the testosterone of a man she should be stripped and banned from competition, am I crazy?

[FRPLG]

If you're given a manly advantage then you're a man baby. Sucks for the runner in question.

[SmootSmack]

I feel pretty bad for "her". It seems like she had no idea. That's brutal

[KLHJ2]

Leave Caster alone!

She is obviously more woman than anything, she just has some hidden testies. They have invaded her privacy and globally humiliated her. If they go as far at to not let her compete as a woman runner in the future it will be a great injustice. You cannot make her compete against men and they sure as hell aren't going to come up with a separate group for competetors of mixed genders.

All because somebody got their feelings hurt because she was destroying the competition. Now her life is destroyed...was it worth it?

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by Angry

Leave Caster alone!

She is obviously more woman than anything, she just has some hidden testies. They have invaded her privacy and globally humiliated her. If they go as far at to not let her compete as a woman runner in the future it will be a great injustice. You cannot make her compete against men and they sure as hell aren't going to come up with a separate group for competetors of mixed genders.

All because somebody got their feelings hurt because she was destroying the competition. Now her life is destroyed...was it worth it?

It's called a level playing field. If she is technically a man then she shouldn't compete. Was it worth it? I bet all the runners who have no chance to win if she runs would say it was.

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

It's called a level playing field. If she is technically a man then she shouldn't compete. Was it worth it? I bet all the runners who have no chance to win if she runs would say it was.

But she is not a man. She hath no penis, she has a vag. She has no uteris, she has testies (inside). She has no Adams apple. She was raised a woman her whole life. Testicles do not make you a better athlete. If you were yourself but had a uteris, that would not make you a woman. It would not have prevented you from playing football. I doubt that they would let you in the ladies room under those circumstances, but you would not have been banned from playing gender speciffic sports. Why should it be any different for her?

As far as I am concerned it is a genetic blessing to be born with that ability no matter how it was bestowed. The truth is that every great athlete has some ability that set them apart from the rest of us. In her case we may have been able to pin point it to an increased ammount testosterone that is naturally produced by her body. What about Woods, Federer, Stewart, Brady, Moss, Brown? Lets perform genetic testing on all of them to try and determine why they are so damn good. If we find something substantial then maybe we should keep them from competing with the common athlete because it is just not fair to the rest of them.

[Daseal]

Testicles do not make you a better athlete.

Actually, they do. They produce testosterone which promotes muscle growth and strength. That is the crux of the issue.

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by Daseal

Actually, they do. They produce testosterone which promotes muscle growth and strength. That is the crux of the issue.

Yeah, I had covered that already.

[RedskinRat]

So what you're saying is we need a Hermaphrodite category in competition?

That would be awesome!

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

So what you're saying is we need a Hermaphrodite category in competition?

That would be awesome!

Yeah, and we could have Lady Gaga sing at the opening ceremonies.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by Angry

Yeah, and we could have Lady Gaga sing at the opening ceremonies.

To be held in West Hollywood or South Beach?

[KLHJ2]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

To be held in West Hollywood or South Beach?

I was thinking San Fransisco.

Seriously though I can understand the concerns of other athletes who have to compete against her, but at the same time it is not like she tried to hide the fact that she was a hermaphrodite. In fact she had no clue that she is a hermaphrodite. I can see if she knew that she was part man and tried to take advantage of her contition, then banning her from the sport and taking away her medals might be appropriate. At some point intent has to be interpreted. I just feel that it wouldn't be right to snatch everything away from her; that includes her right to compete.

[KLHJ2]

This is what some of her competition had to say.

Jenny Meadows backs Caster Semenya and will snub a medal upgrade - mirror.co.uk

[RedskinRat]

Mr Angry, did you have to use the word 'snatch'? Now I can't stop laughing....

[GhettoDogAllStars]

Originally Posted by Angry

Testicles do not make you a better athlete.

Testicles make you better at EVERYTHING -- and smarter too.

An interesting thing to consider is that women without testicles produce testosterone natually anyways -- Caster just has more of it.

Artificially adding testosterone to your body is against the rules, but Caster isn't artificially adding it -- it's natural (as you've said already). I guess it comes down to what actually makes you a man or woman -- and it's not a penis, vagina, or any other organ -- it's genes (XX and XY). Her genes should decide who she competes against, IMO.