SA Runner has Gender Questioned

August 21 - It was a bittersweet victory for Caster Semenya, the teenage runner who took home gold in the 800 m race at the World Championships in Berlin this week.

While Semenya easily took the title, her victory came at a time that she is embroiled in a gender test flap that may threaten her career.

After posting incredible world record results at the African junior championships in Mauritius three weeks ago, the International Federation asked authorities to conduct a gender test on Semenya.

There is no doubt that the runner is masculine in build and, accompanied by her deep voice, may have aroused doubts amongst the federation.

Authorities have continued to stress that "this is a medical issue, not an issue of cheating."

Nevertheless, the complex gender test takes several weeks, as it requires the evaluation of a number of experts in the field, including psychologists, gender experts and so forth.

The test could not be completed before the 800 m run at the World Championships, and Semenya took the lead at the halfway mark, opening an impressive lead in the final 400 meters to break a world record with a result of 1 minute, 55.45 seconds.

"We entered Caster as a woman and we want to keep it that way," said South Africa's team manager, Phiwe Mlangeni-Tsholetsane. "Our conscience is clear in terms of Caster. We have no reservations at all about that."

Sports betting sites are offering odds on the outcome of the gender verification test.

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