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Semenya Is a Girl: S. African Birth Certificate

Track star feels 'humiliated' over gender controversy

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 21, 2009 4:32 PM CDT

(Newser) – The mother of South African track and field star Caster Semenya has produced a birth certificate showing the runner is female, the BBC reports. "I have no doubt about what I see. It's a girl," said Dorcus Semenya despite calls that Caster take a gender test. Caster fell under scrutiny after becoming the world's 800-meter champion this week in Berlin.

"She is not rejoicing. She didn't want the medal," said Athletics South Africa President Leonard Chuene. "She told me: 'No-one ever said I was not a girl but here," at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, "I am not. I am not a boy." Semenya reportedly asked Chuene why be brought her to the competition. "You should have left me in my village at home."

South Africa's Caster Semenya celebrates after winning the gold medal in the final of the Women's 800m during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009.
South Africa's Caster Semenya celebrates after winning the gold medal in the final of the Women's 800m during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009.   (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
South Africa's gold medal winner Caster Semenya displays her medal after the ceremony for the Women's 800m final at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009.
South Africa's gold medal winner Caster Semenya displays her medal after the ceremony for the Women's 800m final at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009.   (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
South Africa's Caster Semenya is flanked by Britain's Jennifer Meadows, right during the ceremony for the Women's 800m final at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009.
South Africa's Caster Semenya is flanked by Britain's Jennifer Meadows, right during the ceremony for the Women's 800m final at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009.   (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 15 comments
hoggkm
Aug 25, 2009 9:42 AM CDT
What does that even mean?
Silverbow7
Aug 24, 2009 1:15 AM CDT
I can see why there might be an issue with her gender...but it needs to be dealt with using some sensitivity and discretion, not like this. I do not believe just because someone feels they are emotionally female they should be accepted as a female in sport events. If you are competing as a woman you need to actually be a born a female or it's not a real contest. It is a male taking advantage of a female sports event to win unfairly. Now we all know not many men would do such a thing, but for the few who would, we do have rules against it.
cognitivefilter
Aug 23, 2009 2:37 AM CDT
i just feel so embarrassed that she has to undergo a humiliating and seemingly unnecessary 'test' in front of the world. this is a private issue that should be handled only by miss semenya and the organization who has wrongly challenged her gender.

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