Charges of Hermaphroditism Now Levelled at Semenya

The allegations of cheating for Caster Semenya, who won the 800m race at the World Athletics Championships in August, have taken a new turn today.

Admittedly a tabloid, The Sun has published a story regarding the gender issues of Ms. Semenya who won the 800 m race in Berlin last month at the World Athletics Championships. The newest allegations include suggestions of the athlete being a hermaphrodite with both genders represented in her. And despite having higher than normal levels of testosterone in her urine samples, she is still within the ranges allowed for women in sports. While the allegations made in The Sun include the lack of a womb or ovaries plus the existence of internal testes, no verifiable source for the allegations are included in the report. International Association of Athletics Federations Nick Davies appeared to be unavailable for comment on the latest allegations regarding Caster Semenya. If the case for being a hermaphrodite are proved to be true, the athlete could be stripped of her gold medal. Perhaps tellingly though, a statement in The Sun report by Ms. Semenya's uncle could be taken to lend credence to the issue of Ms. Semenya's lack of functional reproductive equipment:

The athlete's uncle Lesiba Rammabi, 51, said her relatives were 'very humiliated' by the reports.

He said: "I believe Caster is normal, inside and out.

"What does it matter whether she can have babies or not? Many people cannot have children, why else do parents adopt? Are those women not women also?

Undoubtedly as more information becomes available, the story will continue to be part of the athletic scenes most recent furor over anomalous competitive results and participants.