Monthly Archive for September, 2011

ESPN Olympic Sports – Track and Field
Column: Women need men to set records? Yes, and no
Associated Press
September 23, 201

World’s highest mountain? Easy. World’s fastest man? Easy, too. The world record for female marathon running? That, too, used to be a cinch until the bright sparks who oversee track and field delivered a slap against women everywhere by invalidating their records set when they run marathons alongside men.

The not-so-subtle message is that women cannot complete 26.2 miles as quickly alone as they can when they have a helping hand from the guys.

That, as it happens, may be true. Still, that doesn’t make this rule change from the IAAF any less offensive, impractical or confusing. It’s also a giant black-eye for Paula Radcliffe.

Her world record of 2 hours, 15 minutes, 25 seconds set in London in 2003 is one of the all-time great sport performances by anyone, anywhere. No other woman, except for Radcliffe herself, has ever run within three minutes of that mark.

Goto Full Article - “Click Here”

Published September 2011

Sept 20, 2011 – US Womens Sports Foundation… Positions Statement PARTICIPATION OF INTERSEX ATHLETES IN WOMEN’S SPORTS

The Women’s Sports Foundation believes that women with intersex conditions have the same rights to participation in athletics as all women. It is also our position that eligibility standards for women’s sports that require an athlete to demonstrate particular hormone levels promote the policing of gender by medical means, leading to the unwarranted invasions of privacy not only for intersex athletes, but any athlete whose femininity is questioned. Moreover, any policy that singles out women’s sports for eligibility based on hormone levels is discriminatory and sends the harmful message that female athletes are uniquely vulnerable and in need of special protection from the normal, natural variation in size, skill, and athletic ability that exists among members of either sex.

Download Complete Policy Statement “Click Here”

Published September 2011

Absolute Brilliants! September 21st, 2011 – Ladies European Tour [LET] – STRONG START FOR BAGGER IN DINARD LADIES OPEN.

Denmark’s Mianne Bagger made a strong start at the Dinard Ladies Open, in Brittany.

The Dane scored an opening round of six-under-par 64 on a blustery and cool day at Dinard Golf on the coast of north-western France.

Bagger, who started on the tenth hole and carded five birdies for an outward 29 and 35 on her back nine, was delighted with her round. She said “I putted really well today, I had just 25 putts. I changed putters last week to an old ‘Bull’s Eye’ that I’ve had for 12 years and I holed everything. The greens are rolling really well.”

Goto Full LET Article “Click Here”

Published September 2011

NCAA Transgender Policy “Forced Androgen Reduction” with no supporting facts, science or evidence to support their policy.

Met with great sadness and concern for athlete safety,  the NCAA’s announcement of September 13th, 2011 regarding policy development around the projected assumption of “inclusionary” practices and protocol for transgendered male and female athletes in US intercollegiate and high school sport. Many academics were taken back, how a policy of such a large institution such as the NCAA could ever develop and write a policy with NO FACTS let alone NO SUPPORTING SCIENCE OR EVIDENCE.  All to familiar as this is exactly what the International Olympic Committee [IOC] did in 2003 in development of the Stockholm Consensus regarding transitioned women in participation and in International and Olympic sporting events. Which misled sport, sport organizations and media around the world. Leading to projected ignorance, which has led to the most humiliating and catastrophic circumstances for so many women in international sport. Never actually testing one single  transitioned high performance athlete.

This is NOT an LGB – T issue, nor is it a transgender issue, gender is everyone’s issue. The very fact the NCAA has developed and published such a policy, targeting a specific “type” of woman and or man, isolating them speaks volume how little the NCAA understands, let alone those hired to consult them.

Androgens are a hormone property of both women and men. It is not just a male hormone. Women’s ovaries are males testicles, where the majority of testosterone is developed for both (sexes). Do to the influx of the Y chromosome after 10-12 weeks of gustation, as we ALL start off as female the Y chromosome signals a rise in the production of testosterone, thus creating common male sex characteristics. Important to note, we as human-beings require testosterone as the very foundation of our bodily functions. As science illustrates, like men, high performance female athletes have elevated testosterone levels min. 4-6 times greater then non-athletic women. This is caused by years of training, as recovery signals the pituitary gland to the ovaries, to produce more androgens to assist in body recovery and muscle development. A similar response by the hypothalamus occurs signaling higher production of the  natural human growth hormone [HGH] too.
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NYTimes – April 24th, 2011 – Redefining the Sexes in Unequal Terms
Author: Prof. Alice Dreger, clinical medical humanities and bioethics.
Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Go To Full Article: “Click Here”
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Most importantly and keeping this simple, the World Anti-Doping Agency[WADA] in the anti-doping testing program does NOT test for female and or male natural developing serum bio-testosterone levels and or HGH levels. All they test for is irregularities in levels, and for synthetic androgen and or HGH compounds in the blood.

WADA could NOT tell you what the serum bio-testosterone levels for women is, thus too if they could though testosterone is available in a person(s) individual body higher or lower then their competing athlete and colleagues, the androgen receptors is unique in each person, and use it more or less from one and other. A number, it they did have that measurement, it depends on the individual athletes body and how it uses it.

Like the men, we too take advantage of women’s higher then normal levels, which is part and parcel of their physiology traits together that make them exceptional.
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The NCAA Press Release States:

A trans male (female to male) student-athlete who has received a medical exception for treatment with testosterone for gender transition may compete on a men’s team but is no longer eligible to compete on a women’s team without changing the team status to a mixed team. A mixed team is eligible only for men’s championships.

A trans female (male to female) student-athlete being treated with testosterone suppression medication for gender transition may continue to compete on a men’s team but may not compete on a women’s team without changing it to a mixed team status until completing one calendar year of documented testosterone-suppression treatment.
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When knowing the facts, these statements are IMPOSSIBLE and in-fact UNTRUE. Moreover, why anyone would suppress anyone’s androgen levels in the first place is ridiculous, as there are dozens of reasons why athletes male and female athletes out perform one athlete over an other. Usain Bolt, Mike Phelps and Serena Williams are great examples of this who dominate their competitors. Very little to do with androgen levels, but part of a combination excessive physiological and biological variables. Not pinning their performances to just one hormone – ANDROGENS.

Furthermore, which I(we) found interesting was that the NCAA feels androgens are the problem and determining factor of (male performance over women).  Which leads to the bigger question when you suggest you want to suppress a students levels of androgens, as we explained above and is critical to this discussion, you have NO CLUE WHAT LEVEL/NUMBER YOU WOULD SUPPRESS AN ATHLETES ANDROGEN LEVELS? As well, could not give either for what purpose and or reason? Too ensure like the IOC has done, they are unable to compete in their chosen sport, let alone well and to their very best ability? Moreover,  impossible to regulate such a process, of which leading international organizations such as WADA are just starting to do through the TUE and Passport system, and with the right expertise.

What the NCAA needs to understand, you are forcing a young person into “forced menopause.”

Low testosterone levels parallels symptoms that would be seen with individuals (women and men) who suffer from Hypogondism which are distinguishingly different from an normal aging adult going though gradual menopause over a 20 year period. The effects are;
- Weight Gain – Metabolism issues
- Losing Muscle – decreased endurance and becoming weak
- Fatigue – (Muscular, respiratory and psychological)
- Muscle Atrophe – Unable to develop muscle, let alone retain muscle
- Amemia – Red blood cell count decreases – less ability to carry oxygen to large muscle groups. Body actually suffocates during high performance activity
- Depression and Anxiety
- Poor Memory
*Treated through Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT)

The NCAA is setting themselves up for Human Rights issues, let alone how scientifically and socially unethical this policy is. For the very purpose of sport participation, without any facts/science willing to suppress a young person(s) androgen levels into oblivion (of which you have no safe markers) to fit into a man-made system which not one person fits into, with no knowledge, and or understanding the physical and physiological impact to an individual athlete.

For reasons above is reckless and medically and socially unethical. I can give over a dozen international examples of outcomes onto women athletes causing, global humiliation, poverty and attempted suicide do to poor, misinformed and unnecessary gender policies.

Policies like gender testing (1967), the Stockholm Consensus (2003), hyperandrogenism regulations (2011) and the most recent NCAA policy  are developed tools of oppression towards women specifically and not designed on fact and or science supported, but speculation and have only led to profound catastrophic circumstances for so many athletes around the world over (4) decades. Creating tools/policies to control women’s gender and athletic development and performances, where for men, there are NO MAN-MADE IMPOSED LIMITS OR BARRIERS BASED ON ONES SEX.

WHEN ARE WE GOING TO LEARN?  HOW MANY WOMEN HAVE TO BE HURT OR EVEN KILLED BEFORE THIS IS STOPPED?

Getting educated and moving away from de-criminatory and exclusionary practices (which the NCAA calls inclusion) and development of such polices as recently
the NCAA has done and as many experts greatly surprised with ALL the NCAA’s resources available, once educated and understand the the truths, there
was never a need for policy, but more time spent on education and part of the greater issues of diversity of which each one of us are part of ONE TEAM.

Gender in sport is EVERYONE’S ISSUE!

Published September 2011

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September 12, 2011 - NCLR Applauds New NCAA Inclusion Policy through “FORCED MEDICALIZATON” suggesting it Benefits Transgender Student Athletes in Intercollegiate and High School Sport Athletes.

The National Center For Lesbian Rights applauds the NCAA for their “inclusion” policy of which they were contracted to guide the NCAA around the issues of gender variant young women and men in intercollegiate and high school sport in the United States. Without evidence, approved a policy which forces young college and high school students, who have varying degrees of “gender variance” to seek “forced medicalization” of their bodies to which their gender naturally identifies, to “PLAY A GAME/SPORT” to be seen as socially acceptable, either one of the distinct two binaries, male or female. Of which, not one living human being fits let alone athlete.

This is outrageous,  and to force a child/young adult  through forced medicalization based on problems with social science, and if proper applied science and research was actually done, there is no issue for a gender variant youth to participate in their given sport of which they identify.

“We are using policy to force change nature to meet a man-made binary, rather than changing the man-made binary to meet nature’s design.”

This is a social ethics problem, the NCAA has failed horribly. The document speaks to men being superior to women physically. Not so. Thus asking much bigger question of ALL women, and how women are seen in sport and society.  This just reflects the current social problems and women’s barriers to participation.

This announcement by the NCLR and NCAA is very sad. Certainly not accurate and or reflective of sport, sport science and where sport is going as it pertains to gender.  This is a step backwards, and only reinforcing male/female narrow stereotypes and is not inclusive, in-fact forced exclusion.  Telling young gender variant women and men of varying degrees, which is common and natural, “forced medicalization” must take place if you wish to participate and “PLAY A GAME”. Along with that, we will make you jump through hoops and out yourself to do it. Moreover keeping in mind, as they mention one all privately and in confidence. Though completely unnecessary and inaccurate this policy, historically there has never been ONE incident where an athlete he/she has ever been protected and or privacy respected. It is impossible the NCAA and NCLR cannot provide privacy.

I worry greatly for a child ever getting into a situation where these institutions  can ever use such horrific policies.  Already vulnerable and terrified, this does not protect the athlete, but the NCAA.  This policy sets the NCAA up for a massive human rights case by a child/young adult ever having to go through such a process to play their sport.  Not with standing, the catastrophic impact to the individual athlete.

What were they thinking – We are forcing young people through policy to change their bodies to which they identify, to meet a man-made binary to play a game, to “fit in” within a binary code know-one fits. Instead of thinking outside the box, changing sport and sport policy” we are forcing nature to change to fit dated policy (which only reinforces the male stereo-type and division between two sexes),  forcing young people back into the very box they have spent their entire lives fighting to get out of.

That is the NCAA’s and NCLR’s vision of inclusion. How about starting over, and work on education and ‘Best Practices’ and not policy. You can’t create policy if you don’t have the right information.

An all time low for the NCAA, sport and diversity/inclusion.  A policy to be proud of NCLR. This is not an inclusive policy, in-fact completely exclusionary.

NCLR Press Release September 12, 2011 “Click Here”

NCAA Press Release September 13, 2011“Click Here”

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(6) Key Supporting References -
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NYTimes – April 24th, 2011 – Redefining the Sexes in Unequal Terms

Author: Prof. Alice Dreger, clinical medical humanities and bioethics.

Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. Chicago, Illinois, USA.
For Full Article “Click Here”

Transgender Student-Athletes and Sex-Segregated Sport: Developing Policies of Inclusion for Intercollegiate and Interscholastic Athletics

Erin Buzuvis
Western New England College School of Law – July 20, 2010

Download Complete Research Document “PDF” CLICK HERE

Volume 9 Issue 6 – June 2011 World Sports Law Report
Eligibility: The IAAF hyperandrogenism regulations and discrimination
Author: Shawn Crincoli – Associate Professor of Law

Touro College, New York, USA.
For Full Article “Click Here”

Volume 9 Issue 4 – April 2011 World Sports Law Report
IAAF: hyperandrogenism rules are challenge proof
Author: Andy Brown [WSLR], UK.
For Full Article “Click Here”

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Lancet 2005; 366: S38 María José Martínez-Patiño
Personal Account A woman tried and tested

“As I was about to enter the January, 1986, national championships, I was
told to feign an injury and to withdraw from racing quietly, graciously, and
permanently. I refused. When I crossed the line first in the 60m hurdles, my
story was leaked to the press. I was expelled from our athletes’ residence, my
sports scholarship was revoked, and my running times were erased from my
country’s athletics records. I felt ashamed and embarrassed. I lost friends, my
fiancé, hope, and energy. But I knew that I was a woman, and that my genetic
difference gave me no unfair physical advantage. I could hardly pretend to be
a man; I have breasts and a vagina. I never cheated. I fought my
disqualification.”

Download Full Review “Click Here”

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An approach to the biological, historical and psychological repercussions of gender verification in top level competitions

Martínez-Patiño et al. / Gender verification in top level competitions JOURNAL OF HUMAN SPORT & EXERCISE – VOLUME 5 | ISSUE 3 | 2010 |

MARÍA JOSÉ MARTÍNEZ-PATIÑO1, COVADONGA MATEOS-PADORNO2, AURORA MARTÍNEZ-VIDAL3, ANA MARÍA SÁNCHEZ MOSQUERA1, JOSÉ LUIS GARCÍA SOIDÁN1, MARÍA DEL PINO DÍAZ PEREIRA3, CARLOS FRANCISCO TOURIÑO GONZÁLEZ1
1Faculty of Science Education and Sport, University of Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain.
2Department of Physical Education, University of Las Palmas, Campus Universitario de Tafira, Spain
3Special Didactics Department. Faculty of Science Education. University of Vigo. Orense, Spain

Download Complete Review “Click Here”

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Published September 2011

Inside The Games – London 2012 unveil design for gender pin badge
Thursday, 15 September 2011
By Tom Degun at the Handball Arena in London

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September 15 – London 2012 have this evening revealed the design for the new gender pin badge here at the Handball Arena at the Olympic Park.

The unveiling ceremony was designed to coincide with the opening reception for the 2011 European Women and Sport conference, which will take place in the capital over the next three days.

Dignitaries in attendance included London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton, Minister for Sport and the Olympics Hugh Robertson and deputy secretary general of the Council of Europe Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, while London 2012′s director of human resources Jean Tomlin unveiled the new gender pin badge.

This latest badge is the fourth to have been issued in celebration of London 2012′s six strands of diversity, engaging all communities to support London 2012.

The first of the six pin badges was launched last year in support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

For Full Article “Click Here”

Published September 2011

The Gazette – Savinova edges Semenya for 800m title
Agence France-Presse September 4, 2011 8:12 AM

Mariya Savinova of Russia (L) celebrates winning the women’s 800 metres final with second-placed Caster Semenya of South Africa at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Daegu September 4, 2011.
Photograph by: Kim Kyung-Hoon, Reuters

Daegu, South Korea, Sept 4, 2011 (AFP) – Russian Mariya Savinova rained on Caster Semenya’s parade on Sunday, nipping past the controversial South African for world gold in the women’s 800m. Reigning world indoor and European champion Savinova timed her run to perfection, coming from near the back of the pack at 600m to clinch the victory in 1min 55.87sec.

Read Full Article: “Click Here”
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COMMENT:
Today’s results illustrates the IOC’s historic threat to womens sports.

Congratulations to both Mariya and Caster…. These results speak loud and strengthens the resolve as the “projected” controversy around gender testing, Stockholm Consensus and the new Hyperandrogenism Rule is not an athlete problem, but solely the IOC and IAAF problem, in-fact who are the “controversy”. A social science problem at the highest level of international sport on how WOMEN ARE SEEN AS ATHLETES AND THEIR ABILITIES TO PERFORM WELL.

Important to note, Mariya’s finishing time today in Daegu today was 1:55.87, which she ran at  last years Worlds 2010 1:57.56. Caster’s winning time at 2009 World’s in Berlin 1:55.45. Caster’s second place time today was clocked at 1:57.42.

Three more women running sub 1:58.00 today…. Savinova 2009 Worlds time, 1:58.68, almost (3) seconds slower than what she ran today. Moreover, looking at the 2009, 2010 and 2011 results, a significant improvement by overall women’s speed which is absolutely fantastic! The women’s 800m contingency was in a lull for many years -

*Important to note Mariya dominated the 2011 season in the 800m. Fabulous to see these incredible women run, breathing new life and interest in the 800m event, which has been stagnant for a very long-time.

Are the IOC and IAAF now going to find a fault in Mariya’s gifted physiology and design a policy around her ability to compete, and disable her and take away from her ability to run well?  I am waiting to see the policy that comes out on Usain Bolt (“Lightening Bolt” policy for men who run to fast), and his complete and expected domination and paid millions to do so, over every 100m and 200m male runner in the field, to find fault to slow him down to create fairness with other male competitors in the top elite men. Bolt marketed by BOTH the IAAF and IOC earning millions of dollars as a major financial draw at the box office ticket sales,and putting a heartbeat of public and financial interest back into Athletics over the last several years.

It seems though, women don’t qualify  and are not deemed in the same genre or pursuit as men, when we do incredible world class performances, in-fact penalized for it.  The big question is “Why?”.

In the end and reflecting to sport leaders and international colleagues, I am very pleased with the women’s results and the scale of improvement in the women’s 800m.

Today you don’t see the IAAF/IOC running out “forcing” and invasive and illegal gender test on Mariya as she was the ONLY woman that ran into 1:55.00 (she looks feminine enough that’s why…), as in 2009 Caster was forced into a situation for an outstanding performance of which has become common place with Usain Bolt. Of which when he does not perform, we question “what’s going on with him making a big deal out of a false start that no other athlete had a problem with on the 100m final start-line”, expecting him to perform. As Usain said in an interview with the CBC in Daegu just after his 200m win, “I came today to do it for the fans… to show them I am the best.”

When a women does it, she becomes a controversy – thus is gender tested, which proves nothing and seen as a “tool of oppression”. Where women now feeling fear to perform well as a woman, you will be gender tested, a highlighting threat put upon women’s performance. Thus projects, “if you do not look feminine enough and perform well, we’ll get you…”

Why is it men get that chance and women do not? When women do it, they are then punished so inhumanely for it. Raped psychologically and physically (without consent or knowledge), humiliated globally, and many time leading to attempted suicide, alienation and poverty. If that is not enough, sport and media together making as if the athlete deserves it and in-fact have a right to do it. Ironically there is no repercussions to those who have created such hideous harm.

Todays results clearly illustrates the situation well. The suggested “CONTROVERSY” that has been weighing over young Caster that she has had to wear and so many athletes in the past is NOT THE ATHLETES, BUT THE IOC AND FALSE POLICIES such as gender testing, Stockholm Consensus and now Hyperandrogenism Rule which have been purposely designed to oppress and mislead international sport around women’s performance,  which has only led to the most CATASTROPHIC IMPACT to women, women’s sport in modern sport history. Used as “tools of oppression” not to protect women, but to control and oppress women from performing well in their given sport. Solely do to projected ignorance and human rights violations by the IOC towards women.

Caster like all the other women impacted by gender testing over 4 decades, gender was never in question… The IOC/IAAF done in such an adhoc manner, spent 11 months trying to figure out if they did the right thing or not. Had nothing to do with in-fact with Caster, other than her having to wear their mistakes so publicly and affecting her eligibility to compete in 2010. It had all to do about them.

99% of what was reported in the media was untrue…

The IOC is the “CONTROVERSY” and the biggest threat to women’s development and participation in sport at all levels, not Caster and or any other female athletes, as Mariya handily proved today and the other female runners in the field closely behind Mariya and Caster. The IOC is the problem, FULL STOP…

The courage it has taken Caster and many other women who have fallen to these practices and harmful policies, are profound. A courage only deserving of an Olympic gold medal, that is inconceivable, and the passion for sport and the will to be included and be your very best. Something the IOC and IAAF, have faltered over the last many years deceiving and misleading the public, media and international sports system of the truths and true impact these horrific polices and practices, have catastrophically ruined so many women’s lives.

Well Done Ladies…. WOMEN ARE GREAT ATHLETES TOO IOC!!
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(5) Key Supporting References -

NOTICE
The Court of Arbitration for Sport [CAS] in Lausanne Switzerland, has approved jurisdiction to enable us to file legal case: “Human Rights and the Oppression of Women’s Gender in International Sport” to be issued by Kristen Worley (Canada) Cycling and Mianne Bagger (Denmark) Golf  v/International Olympic Committee [IOC].

Volume 9 Issue 6 – June 2011 World Sports Law Report
Eligibility: The IAAF hyperandrogenism regulations and discrimination
Author: Shawn Crincoli – Associate Professor of Law

Touro College, New York, USA.
For Full Article “Click Here”

Volume 9 Issue 4 – April 2011 World Sports Law Report
IAAF: hyperandrogenism rules are challenge proof
Author: Andy Brown [WSLR], UK.
For Full Article “Click Here”

NYTimes – April 24th, 2011 – Redefining the Sexes in Unequal Terms

Author: Prof. Alice Dreger, clinical medical humanities and bioethics.

Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. Chicago, Illinois, USA.
For Full Article “Click Here”

AthletesCAN (CANADA) Canadian Olympian Nikki Dryden – Featured Article: “Hey International Olympic Committee – Your words are not enough”

The following article was written by Nikki Dryden, retired national team athlete and two-time Olympian.

For Full Article on the AthletesCAN website “Click Here”

Also can be found on the Women in Sport International Blog “Click Here”

Published September 2011

The Telegraph – Oscar Pistorius reaches first major able-bodied final as South Africa qualify for 4×400 metres relay at World Athletics Championships

Simon Hart, in Daegu. September 1st, 2011

Double-amputee Oscar Pistorius continues to make history at the World Championships in Daegu after reaching his first major able-bodied final as the lead-off man in South Africa’s 4×400 metres relay team.

For Full Article “Click Here”
Published September 1st, 2011