Questions raised by the Semenya revelation

Writing in the Science of Sport newsletter, physician Dr Ross Tucker poses several questions raised by the Caster Semenya "hermaphrodite" revelation. nzherald.co.nz summarises them here:

* The IAAF have stated they are seeking a meeting with Semenya. It's easy to assume this is to give her the hard word on disqualification and ineligibility. But that may not be the case. It may be to caution her about her health.

The Australian media leaks say Semenya has no womb or ovaries, but instead internal testes - the male sexual organs which produce testosterone. This is a condition that carries considerable medical risk. Individuals diagnosed with internal testes frequently have them surgically removed to minimise a serious cancer risk. The IAAF may be about to tell her "you need surgery".

* The presence of testes, and the absence of a uterus, would suggest that she is genetically male, ie: has a Y chromosome, possibly XY, possibly XXY. If the reports are accurate, Semenya may have AIS (Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome) or alpha-5-reductase deficiency, or possibly a genetic abnormality that results in the development of an under-masculinised male.

* In Atlanta in 1996, 8 women "failed" the sex verification test because they had a Y-chromosome. All eight were allowed to compete.

* Semenya's case was the eighth dealing with sexuality issues the IAAF had handled since 2005. "Four athletes were asked to stop their career," the IAAF confirmed, without giving further details.

* Even if all the allegations in the Aussie media are true, it still does not necessarily mean that Semenya will be disqualified from future events. There are conditions which are allowable, which would see her being able to compete after surgery. AIS and alpha-5-reductase deficiency are both conditions which the IAAF policy says are "allowed".

* The problem really is not so much about Semenya's physiology - the problem for world athletics officials is whether her condition gives her an unfair advantage over the other females she is racing against.

If it's deemed to not give her any advantage, then her presence in the women's field must be legal.

* Finally, if you've wondered whether Semenya would have been fast enough to keep up with the men at the Berlin World Championships, think again.

In the Mens 800m event, the times for the ten competitors ranged from 1'45" to 1'47".

Semenya won the Womens 800m in Berlin in 1'55". She would have been barely coming around the final bend as the last man crossed the finishing line!

That answers the question of "can she compete as a male?" So, if she is disqualified from women's events, that would seem to leave her with nowhere to compete.