Monthly Archive for February, 2012

USA TODAY

IOC still drags its feet on female equality

By Christine Brennan
Published February 22nd, 2012

LOS ANGELES – The hundreds of women from around the world who gathered last week for the start of the International Olympic Committee‘s fifth Women and Sport Conference had just settled into their seats in the Nokia Theatre when an opening video flickered before them. It was an IOC highlight reel of Olympic performances, but something was wrong with it. It included footage of one great male athlete after another. There were almost no women in it.

Out of 34 athletes who appeared in that film, there were the recognizable images of just four women, and they went by so quickly that many conference attendees didn’t think there were any at all.

When you watch footage like that, as I did as a speaker at the conference, you have to give the IOC credit for honesty: It didn’t even try to fake its concern for the achievements of women in sport. Or perhaps it is simply cluelessness; the IOC doesn’t know, or perhaps doesn’t care, about how awful that opening video looked.

Goto Full Article: “Click Here”

Published February 2012

IOC Women’s Conference concludes with issues of women in leadership . . . and democracy

Perelman Pioneer & Company
Written by Rich Perelman

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 18, 2012 – The fifth International Olympic Committee World Conference on Women and Sport concluded today at the elegant J.W. Marriott Hotel at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles on an upbeat note after three days of ceremonies and discussions. Beyond the summary press release, the program reached two key conclusions:

(1) That women have essentially – but not completely – reached equality on the field of play at the Olympic Games, and

(2) That the focus for the future must be on electing more women to the governing bodies of sport at the national and international level.

Key Points Stated in Review of which was omitted from the IOC’s final official public conference declaration. As well, noted by delegates attending, (some Tweeted) they were surprisingly NOT advised or asked for their input.

See IOC’s Official Declaration to Compare “Click Here”

As Perlman further writes;
On the issue of including more women on commissions and executive boards of national sports federations, National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Federations, the progress has been much slower. A survey by Loughborough University (Great Britain) – commissioned by the I.O.C. – showed that among 110 respondent National Olympic Committees:

• An average of 26.2% of the NOC Executive Committees in Oceanian countries were women (meeting the I.O.C.’s 20% goal for 2005);

• An average of 20.5% of the NOC Executive Committees in the Americas were women (meeting the I.O.C.’s 2005 goals);

• An average of 14.1% of the NOC Executive Committees in Europe were women (below the I.O.C.’s target);

• An average of 12.6% of the NOC Executive Committees in Asia (including the Middle East), were women (below the I.O.C.’s target).

• The International Sports Federations weren’t much better, with female participation on Executive Committees totaling just 12.4% for the Winter Olympic federations, 16.6% for the Summer Olympic federations and an I.O.C.- compliant 22.6% for federations of non-Olympic sports.

For Full Conference Review by Rich Perelman “Click Here”

See IOC’s Official Declaration “Click Here”

Published February 21st, 2012

Dr. Eric Vilain (UCLA) “Grows a Conscience” – IOC’s 5^th World Women’s Conference 2012

Los Angeles, February 18th, 2012 - Dr. Eric Vilain, MD, PhD, and Professor, Human Genetics, Pediatrics, Urology at the University of California, Los Angeles [UCLA], as well advisor to the International Medical Commission [IOC] regarding gender verification testing of female athletes, developing of the 2003 Stockholm Consensus and most recently by the highly controversial policy by the IOC Hyperandrogenism rule and NCAA’s gender inclusion policy this past September. Another example of an oppression tool (neither supported by factual science) of designed oppression of a women(s) endocrine system, which is illegal, immoral and in-fact medically unethical, positioning the NCAA in a place of future human rights violations with ANY future athletes that the NCAA attempt to us these policies and procedures against any athlete, and god-forbid they do. The lacking common sense, as it relates to human physiology, let alone laws surrounding human rights violations is profound of which NO RESEARCH was done.  Again only done hypothetically, of which science when done properly proves otherwise.

Rogge states in his open comments at the conference;

“We need more women leaders throughout the Olympic Movement, not only to prove our commitment to gender equality, but to take advantage of their brains, their energy and their creativity.”

Vilain invited by the IOC this past weekend in Los Angeles, to present at the IOC’s 5^th World Women’s Conference where Vilian made a stunning confession saying;

“Women with disorders of sex development have no competitive advantage than any athlete with good genes”.

It seems Vilain has grown a conscience, recognizing the unfathomable impact of his work and colleagues on so many women over the last five decades of which he has been a participant over the last ten years, that has only had catastrophic impact directly onto female athletes, of which is well know behind the scenes. The development of gender verification testing and the Stockholm Consensus created and published by the IOC, admitted by IOC Medical Commission president Patrick Schamasch, to Canadian government and officials, Mianne Bagger and me on September 18^th, 2006, that in-fact the IOC had never done the science and or research to support their current gender policies. It was all done on a hypothetical level. Of which, as science has proven the claims made by Vilain and the IOC as scientifically untrue.

This has been going on behind the scenes away from the public for several years. Vilain’s statements this weekend were NOT new news to those engaged behind the scenes, but the increased pressure on these individuals to tell the truth as in-fact these issues were only continuing to hurt and violate more women.

The most recent evidence, of such impact of a young South African woman of which policies led to severe human rights violations and a degree of humiliation so profound few words can describe, of which her “gender was never in question”, and everything about this incident, as one behind the scenes 99% of what was published was untrue. Though having life long implications for her and many women before her, and brought to the IOC’s attention by Canadian officials in 2006, that more then eight women had been impacted by these false policies since 1985, including a dear friend 800m runner from India Santhi Soundarajan. Who that following December at the Asian games was gender tested and violated. Her very identity thrown into suspicion, of her identity as a woman of which she was violated physically socially, her silver medal being take from her, placed into poverty, thus trying to take her life do to the global humiliation.

We are humiliating women… This is what the IOC is doing, creating false policy unsupported by factual science and data,  as now Vilain is trying now to denounce himself from, for his participation in these horrific policies designed to disempower and humiliate women, designed by men. Suggesting any association to competitive performance, where the mounting medical evidence accumulated over the last several years says otherwise.

Seen by many women and sport, leaders in sport in Canada, now educated about the issues of gender, are asking big questions of the IOC, Vilain and fellow colleagues, led by IOC Medical Commission Chair, Prof. Arne Ljungqvist who has the prolific designer and father of gender testing over the last five decades. Most recently in October 2011, in a joint presentation at the Play the Game conference, in Cologne Germany, speaking about the issues of gender in Olympic and International sport, made stunning comments on gender that by any standard and medical expertise of which he could not medically back.

The all too famous Ljungqvist comment, “Owe it is very difficult.” We can see from Ljungqvist’s response yes it is for him, as he known’s he has failed horribly and these comments are deliberate to avoid his accountability – and taken (50) years. As Canadian top ethics expert John Dalla Costa projected in a recent conference call with Sport Canada recently;

“With the mounting evidence, to suggest ignorance and not knowing, is no longer a viable answer…”

Thus Georg Facius (Denmark) in the same session with Ljungqvist and Canada’s own Dr. Bruce Kidd, Facius in his presentation requested for his immediate resignation from the IOC Medical Commission for the (5) decades for his incompetence, and impact this has had on so many women historically. Remarking “gender testing is a serious business” in his opening statements  further stating “The Major Medical Blunder of the 20^th Century” and as Dr. Kidd noted, has only had “catastrophic impact on female athletes”.

Click Here For Full Video Presentation.

The concept of (2) pole sex society doesn’t exist in nature.  This is a man-made concept, as both Facius and Kidd spoke to in Cologne.  Too suggest otherwise is unethical. We are trying to force nature into man-made policy, instead of understanding nature and building policy around it.

“You are trying to fit a square peg into a round hole… Women specifically are getting terrorized and violated physically and socially because of it.”

What Vilain is declaring in LA this past weekend, that what has happen to so many women, Caster, Santhi, including me and dozens of others, should have never happened. Through their policies, which again were ONLY hypothetical, not backed by REAL science and has led to human rights violations carried out specifically on women. These have been declared “Tools of Oppression” on ALL women, as noted in the conference outcome report, parallels and is consistent the problems in sport, sport participation and leadership position within International sport and Olympic programming.

Outcome Results of LA Women’s Conference – The numbers are staggering but speaks to the reality of the OPPRESSION of women, and the “TOOLS” designed and measured to do just that.

What we are seeing is the “stereotype” of woman of which women are forced to fit into, which we do not do to men. Men it is an open field. Thus is you fall outside of Atypical socially definition accepted female; “look out we are going to get you and we will humiliate you…”, breaking ALL social, ethical laws and human rights. The sad part is too, the IOC they think can do this and feel they have a right to violate women, as IOC President on a conference  call with Canadian officials when asked about gender testing me in-fact as an athlete he replied, “I can do anything I want…”. Though as shocking as that was, in principal there lack of, through ignorance and perpetuating fear and “pinning women against women”, and suggesting competitive performance advantage, of which they cannot prove and never will be, focusing on the stereotype of “men overpowering women”, which again is not true by science and they know it. What they in-fact have been doing disempowering women and placing limits on us, not allowing women to appear strong bodied and become great female athletes. Again we allow this for men and not women.

This is a social problem, and was never an issue of physiology.

Vilain’s presentation though note worthy from the standpoint as a key figure and consultant to the IOC Medical Commission, his 180 degree turn that no longer as self-proclaimed experts who in-fact are NOT experts, and not in the pockets or friends of the IOC, the real evidence of which they have continued to try to oppress over the last several years, can no longer hide the past and in-fact now asking enormous ethical questions from a medical perspective of Vilain and others who participated in these programs of policy development with the IOC, on the basis if Human Rights and participation and safety in sport. These guys who term “themselves” as “experts” can no longer denied as the evidence and medical expertise, says otherwise.

It can only be assumed, Vilain is trying to distance himself from this history. Unfortunately, the athletes who have been violated by these policies did not have that choice and or protections. What Vilain and the IOC need to understand very clearly, that those who commit Human Rights Violations don’t get a free pass either. Admitting to what has happened is only the first step.

The knowledge Valain projected we’ve known for years… and have been well known within these circles. What the issues are now, is the accountability of those who have committed these crimes against women.

WE the women have paid a very dear price for it and this incompetence and we did not get a free pass. We got the constellation prize… Gender verification and full public humiliation and discrimination and our very identities tested and scrutinized globally… Vilain is looking for an OUT! Those violated didn’t get that option, why should the violators? Sic!

The shoe is now on the other foot and there is way too much evidence – the level of expertise is over powering, and it is important for the principals of sport and future of the Olympic Movement, that this dark history is identified, and be able to move beyond it, so no more women will be physically and socially humiliated and as Maria José Martínez-Patiño said, she felt “RAPED” in 1985. Which is a common expression by most of the women directly exposed, implicated, isolated and assaulted directly in these experiences.

THERE ARE NO WORDS TO DESCRIBE WHAT IT FEELS LIKE OTHER IT IS STEALING YOUR SOUL. WHO HAS THAT RIGHT?

WE ARE REAL HUMAN-BEINGS AND WOMEN BEHIND THESE WORDS… JUST LIKE YOU…

“We must stop the hurt now…” As I told IOC Medical Commission President Patrick Schamasch September 18th, 2006 by telephone, with Canadian sport leaders. “Someone will be killed if this is not stopped.”  Since this time, (8) more women have fallen that I have come to know unfortunately personally.

Published February 20th, 2012

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Dr. Claire Sullivan – Nov. 2011 – Gender Verification and Gender Policies in Elite Sport : Eligibility and ”Fair Play”.
November 2011
Journal of Sport and Social Issues 2011 35: 400 originally published online 15
Claire F. Sullivan

Abstract
Sex-segregated sports require governing bodies to clearly and accurately place
athletes in two categories, one labeled “men” and the other labeled “women.”
Sports governing bodies such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and
International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) used sex testing procedures
to attempt to verify the sex of athletes competing in women’s events. In 2004, the IOC introduced the Stockholm Consensus to regulate the inclusion of, primarily, male-to-female transsexual athletes, to compete at the Olympic Games. These governing bodies, and others, are dealing with society’s basic categorization of humans and thus are entangled in attempts to scientifically and medically define sex. This article will focus on the history and implications of gender-verification testing and gender policy on notions of “fair play” and athlete eligibility.

Download Complete Document – “Click Here”

Published February 12, 2012

The Canadian Cycling Association is using EXCESSIVE, INACCURATE and MISLEADING language in the Press Release response regarding rider Benjamin Martel decision by the SDRCC.

Regarding the published statements published by the Canadian Cycling Association [CCA] on February 8^th 2012, regarding the outcome of Mr. Martel’s decision for the uses of “testosterone” for the sole benefits of performance enhancement.

URL Reference: “CLICK HERE”

I applaud the outcome by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports [CCES] findings and the legal outcome by the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada [SDRCC]. I do not condone the use of prohibitive use of drugs for the sole purpose of “performance enhancement” by an “individual athlete” who does not require it for medical purposes.

FULL STOP…………

Where the break down occurs and reason for response, and not for the reason of questioning Mr. Martel’s outcome as that is not the issue at hand. But the use of excessive language that is in-fact inaccurate and misleading by the CCA’s, by CEO Greg Mathieu and President John Tolkamp as it pertains to anti-doping and the synthetic usage of testosterone, painting ALL athletes as “Cheaters” if found using testosterone in their biological blood work. This was noted in the Press Release and the CCA “Executive Briefing – Doping Case” document which was disseminated to athletes by email, clearly indicates and with great concern the CCA’s lacking physiological and anti-doping knowledge regarding the hormone testosterone, thus making clear statements that are quite frankly outrageous and condemning of many athletes within the Canadian and International system of sport, who require androgen supplementation as part of key day-to-day hormone that is indicative in both men and women, and the very foundation of their physiology. For many athletes, many whose bodies do not produce testosterone, and or for other common hormone deficiencies such as Hypogondism which occurs in both sexes, which disadvantages the body and person in day-to-day life and of course very weighing in high performance activity.

The Canadian Cycling Association, promotes women and men who produce “EXCESSIVE” natural levels of the hormone testosterone and HGH – welcome to high performance sport and a biological baseline for a high performance athlete. Which under doping control, is “NOT” tested for, other than mentoring for inconsistencies. ONLY measuring for “synthetic versions” of either hormone, for which many athletes who have hormone loss and or physical dysfunction to produce the hormone, receive a Therapeutic Use Exemption [TUE], which is medically monitored and piloted through the individual athletes profile with the countries and anti-doping body, in this case the CCES.

This excessive language, and painting ALL athletes with same brush is irresponsible and in-fact  abusive.

This is an “individual athlete” situation and a “choice” an athlete made on his or her own, for the sole purpose of performance enhancement when not physiologically deemed medical necessary, and NOT about the synthetic hormone testosterone of which Mathieu’s and Tolkamp fail to emphasize in their disseminated notes to the media and fellow athletes, which the CCA has been notified that leads to devastating impact to athletes who are engaged in the system, ensuring “fairness and inclusive participation”.

Those engaged at the senior levels are aware of pending “Human Rights Violations” against the CCA for this very reason. This is putting unnecessary fear in to the system of which is untrue.

I reiterate, though I applaud the outcome and participation by the CCES and SDRCC, the CCA’s response and document dissemination to athletes was clearly irresponsible, inaccurate projection though demonstrating a much greater ethical problem, and need for greater leadership and education around hormones and anti-doping practices in Canada as well Internationally.

It is statements like this, lacking better judgment and knowledge that has complex downstream impact for many athletes, and in many cases leads to “catastrophic outcomes” because the right information has not been provided and or articulated properly.

In my letter to the CCA, the CCES and Sport Canada this morning I have asked for (2) outcomes to this matter:

1) The CCA to make an amendment to the Press Release and made public, as outlined and for good reason(s) “testosterone” usage for many athletes is required and that for many in a controlled and under medical supervision is required and needed to ensure “fairness and inclusive participation”.

2) Once again speaks to the concerns of education around hormones and anti-doping practices to remove the (taboo). Asking the CCES to take steps to further education as it relates to hormones, creating a greater system of education to properly educate NSO’s and PSO’s of the facts, so that as the CCA clearly illustrated is severely needed and does not fall back onto the individual athletes shoulders to wear that burden.

There has been way too much hurt as it pertains to the hormone “testosterone”, a necessary hormone for both men and women. Testosterone is NOT just a male hormone, which is false and this illusion on how we understand male and female physiology. It is incidents like this and in past years as reflection with International Olympic Committee [IOC], has perpetuated great misunderstanding and ignorance. Possible this moment can be used as an educational moment, to move to towards greater understanding and creating a system of education that is more reflective of the uniqueness as individuals and our physiology.

Policies and statements like this, only reflects the bigger problem within sport, and that one size does NOT fit all, moreover one cannot lead national an organization such as the Canadian Cycling Association working in “ONE DIMENSION”, of which they are learning has led to “catastrophic outcomes”.

TIME TO STOP THE IGNORNACE BEFORE ONE MORE ATHLETE GETS HURT!

Published February 9th, 2012

WTA – World Tennis Association – Launches “Strong is Beautiful” Campaign.

ROME, Italy – The WTA unveiled a new global ad campaign with the tagline “Strong is Beautiful”, featuring 38 current and next generation stars of the sport. The campaign includes TV, print and digital ads along with social media applications and will be unveiled across 80 markets over the next two years.

Drawing upon athleticism and grace – a unique combination that has turned the stars of the WTA into the most recognizable and followed female athletes on the planet – the campaign places the personal stories, pressures and dreams of the players front of stage. The creative is designed to support the WTA’s efforts to establish a deeper engagement with fans around the world and to promote both the sport’s next generation of players along with current established names.

“We want to develop a closer relationship with our fans and attract a new generation of fans to women’s tennis, and the Strong is Beautiful campaign is one way to get it done. This campaign will serve as a creative marketing platform for our players, tournaments, year-end WTA Championships and the entire sport,” said Stacey Allaster, Chairman & CEO of the WTA. “The personal stories are inspirational. The unique combination of athleticism, strength and determination on the court and success, interests and inner beauty off the court is what makes women’s tennis so attractive to millions around the world.”

“It takes so many elements to reach the top of such a competitive sport as tennis – strength of character, discipline and willpower. All of these things define who we are as people and as athletes. For me the new campaign captures the inner strength of players in a beautiful way,” Caroline Wozniacki said.

Goto Full Article - “Click Here”

Published Feb 6th, 2012

Uptown Magazine

‘You don’t run like a girl…’
As the 2012 Summer Games draw near, the debate about gender testing heats up

A former Canadian Olympian thinks gender testing in sport should be abolished and wants Canada to publicly declare its opposition to the practice before the start of the 2012 Summer Games, now less than six months away.

Bruce Kidd, a professor in the faculty of physical education and health at the University of Toronto, was once a national track-and-field star; named “Athlete of the Year” in 1961 and 1962 by the Canadian Press, he competed in the Men’s 5,000 race at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, finishing ninth in the first round’s first heat.

Goto Full Article: “CLICK HERE”

For Further Education - October 2011 Playthegame gender session, October Cologne, Germany. Guest speakers, Prof. Arne Ljungqvist (IOC), Georg Facius (Denmark) and Dr. Bruce Kidd (Canada).

Watch the Complete Session Video - “CLICK HERE”

Published February 2nd, 2012