Audio By Carbonatix
Gender, as much as societal norms want us to believe it, isn’t always a black and white issue. The issue hit the headlines last year when South African runner Caster Semenya’s sex came into question after she won gold in the 800 meters event during the World Championships.
Both the International Olympic Committee and the International Association of Athletics Federations admitted their policies weren’t always clear when it came to this sort of thing.
“Sometimes you come across cases that are uncertain and ambiguous, and it changes from being a sports matter to a medical matter,” IOC medical commission chairman Arne Ljungqvist told the Associated Press in October. “That’s where we need to have a review.”
The IOC has invited medical experts to draw up guidelines for dealing with “ambiguous” gender cases during a conference in Miami Beach next week.
Will you step up to support New Times this year?
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If Miami New Times matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
Semenya, in the meantime, has been allowed to keep her medal and prize money, and her coach says that she’s been cleared to compete internationally as a female. Her lawyer however says that the negotiations are ongoing and may be impacted by next week’s conference.
