Caster Semenya – IAAF cannot determine sex

In August 2009, South African runner Caster Semenya was named the winner of the Women's 800m world record at the Berlin World Championships. The International Association of Athletics Federations raised red flags, questioning if Caster Semenya was a woman or a man, or maybe a hermaphrodite, which kept her from competing until her true gender was discovered from gender verification tests. It's been almost eight months now and Caster Semenya is nevertheless awaiting the results, and nevertheless waiting to compete again. Payday loans might not be an option in South Africa. How’s she supposed to make a living?

Caster Semenya says she is a woman

A month after the IAAF snafu, Caster Semenya was in a glamorous cover story in YOU magazine. Although the IAAF governing body is still not confident, Caster is perfectly comfortable with her womanhood. According to The UK's Guardian newspaper, Semenya says that their investigation has hampered her career and infringed upon her rights. “Since my victory in the female 800m event at the Berlin world championships in August last year, I have been subjected to unwarranted and invasive scrutiny of the most intimate and private details of my being,” said Semenya.

Caster Semenya is not allowed to compete, even though she hasn't been suspended or banned

What makes the whole IAAF operation even more comical in its incompetence is that Caster Semenya has not officially been banned or suspended from racing. She was accommodating to a fault when she agreed not to race until the IAAF could clear up the confusion, it seems. She is now ready to fight. Caster Semenya and her advisers see no reason not to start racing, especially after a long time of waiting. Caster has already been awarded her gold medal and prize cash for her 800m victory. Here is Caster Semenya’s full comeback statement as it appeared in The Guardian.

Caster is asked to 'hold on' by the Athletics South Africa

Chairman Ray Mali of Athletics South Africa has asked Caster Semenya and her advisers to keep patient. ASA thinks Caster ought to wait for the result since the IAAF has promised a "speedy" process, but the IAAF has reportedly already bungled several self-imposed deadlines, partially because of a change in leadership over mishandlings of the Caster Semenya issue.

Meanwhile, Caster Semenya isn’t allowed to follow her career of choice while the bureaucrats spin their wheels? If only a turnaround would be as fast as same day payday cash advances for Caster. In fact, it may have to be a sacrifice of a promising sports career like what Caster Semenya would surely enjoy to really expose just how foolish and low the world athletic associations have become.