Tag Archive for 'arne Ljungqvist'

Playthegame 2011 Conference Review | Being a real woman: A matter of testing or self-declaration?

Playthegame 2011 conference review, October – Cologne Germany.
Gender Section – Scroll to page 18.

Being a real woman: A matter of testing or self-declaration?
By Kirsten Sparre

Both solutions were put forward in an intense discussion at Play the Game about what sport should do with athletes who have changed sex or for other reasons do not fit into the normal categories of male or female.

The first solution was suggested by Arne Ljungqvist, Chair of the IOC’s Medical Commission. For the past 25 years he has worked within international sports federations on finding ways to protect female athletes from competing against men.

For the IOC, the question is mainly biological: Is a given athlete eligible to compete in a female competition? Over the years, the IOC and international sports federations have attempted to settle this question with controversial tests and gender screening of all female athletes – a practice that was only abandoned within the last ten years.

Ljungqvist has been a passionate campaigner against the general gender screening and is the architect behind a new decision from the IOC’s Executive Commission about what he calls eligibility to take part in female competitions. Now all females recognised as such by law should be eligible to compete in female competitions provided she has androgen levels below the male range or, if within the male range, she has an androgen resistance.

The key point for Ljungqvist is that the new test of androgen levels will only be applied if it is deemed necessary by relevant authorities in individual cases. Not all women have to be tested.

In the past ten years, Ljungqvist has only seen a handful of cases of such cases, but nevertheless he believes it is important to spend time and money on finding out how best to do it.

“We have to do it to protect the women who compete against them. This is what they want,” he said.

‘Let us commit to inclusion’
Self-declaration of gender as a way of resolving increasing gender confusion in sport was proposed by professor Bruce Kidd from the University of Toronto.

Kidd was less concerned about the potential benefit that a man who had undergone sexual reassignment and become a woman could have in the competition against other women. There are so many other factors that also affect performance, he argued.

Instead he saw the question of gender as an issue of identity – something which should be protected by the Olympic movement.

“Self-identity is fundamental to human rights and the ideal of self-experession that is the basis for Olympic sports. How can the Olympic movement serve as a beacon of universiality and then single out this one difference,” he asked.

“Let’s be politically committed to inclusion. If one in 2000 babies is born with atypical sexual characteristics, that is a huge population. We should welcome them into the Olympic family, instead of casting doubt and aspersion on them,” Kidd said.

LiveStream Playthegame Gender Session – “Click Here”

Playthegame 2011 conference review, October – Cologne Germany.
Gender Section – Scroll to page 18.
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Published March 30th, 2012

Chasing the world’s fastest man/Chasing world’s fastest women are “Gender Tested

The Chronicle “Chasing the world’s fastest man” written by journalist Steve Connor writes today:

“HE IS the fastest man on two legs, the greatest sprinter of all time – and Usain Bolt can also claim another superlative. He alone has caused the other top athletes in the world to run faster.

Scientists are calling it the “Usain Bolt Effect” because he has significantly improved the average performance of the world’s top sprinters, who are now suddenly running about 1 per cent faster than they did prior to Bolt’s explosive appearance in 2008 – a significant margin at this distance.”

But when a woman does it, we don’t rejoice in her athleticism and call her the “worlds fastest woman on two legs” or “explosive” as Connor’s writes about Bolt- we instead, have policy specifically designed by the International Olympic Committee [IOC] in development partnership with the International Association of Athletics Federation [IAAF], to oppress women’s athletic performances, and going as far as history has shown over and over again, not based on science, but a social ideology, putting women in a box, their place in society literally dis-empowering and humiliating them. Going even as far to create policy to physically gain access and violate their bodies and feeling one they can do this, but in-fact have a right to do it, questioning their performances as being “unwomanly”. Men are rejoiced and brought to a hirer status amongst their peers within sport and fellow countrymen, endorsements, media and business opportunities fall literally out the sky overnight. But when a woman does as history has shown are and women are punished when performing well. As history has shown, physically and publicly violated, humiliated, isolated, left in poverty and in some cases attempted suicide.

This is the direct impact of gender verification testing of women.

This is a direct problem of policy created by the IOC, that is not reflective of society and of women, whom which the sport community  is to afraid to upset the apple cart, knowing what is going on, as everyone has their hands in the cookie jar.  If a person and or media takes the IOC to task, as has happened to several media outlets, the IOC’s lawyers send letters threatening access to future games for either the journalist of news outlet.  This  has happened on several occasions, afraid of the truth of the impact of gender verification of women getting into the public realm and the oppression and human rights violations it has created.

The athletes are not the problem, the IOC is!

Watching  journalists like Steve Connor has just written, calling it the “Usain Bolt Effect”, there are many women in many sports capable of the creating the same effect and even have done so on many occasions and growing, as greater opportunity for women in sport to participate.

Using Athletics as an example in par with Bolt, young Caster Semenya a brilliant and talented young woman was physically violated for being a talented female athlete.  The IOC and IAAF, with all their wisdom (NOT), in parallel to Bolt instead of celebrating her excellence as an athlete, as they do for Bolt the man, cast a cloud of judgement over her, because of her success.  Going as far, to question her very identity – As they found out, her gender was never in question, and in-fact the they had raped her for running fast, yes as a woman.  Suggesting, women cannot run this fast, where in-fact until Caster’s performance in Berlin, 13 athletes had run faster then her since 1983, over a 27 year period.  Important to note, were never gender tested.

Connor’s speaks of the effect Bolt has had on the men and their performance, stating; “…he has significantly improved the average performance of the world’s top sprinters, who are now suddenly running about 1 per cent faster than they did prior to Bolt’s explosive appearance in 2008″.

Caster has done the very same thing if not even higher level of improvement the women’s 800m event.  In Daegu, Korea this past September at the IAAF World Championships, won by Russian 800m specialists Mariya Savinova with a winning time of 1:55.87, who dominated the Diamond League all season long.  Young Caster placing second, almost a full second behind, with a time of 1:56.35, well behind Savinova.

Important to note, Savinova with the “Caster Semenya Effect” was 3/100′s of a second off of Caster’s time of Berlin 1:55.45. Savinova was not subjected to gender verification testing after her conclusive win in Daegu, as Caster was for her equal performance in Berlin two years prior.  The qualifications for the women’s 800m final was set 1:59:00, where just two years prior the majority of the women could not break 2:00.00.

Caster’s effect, far out ways Bolt’s, but yet as history has shown and noted by Canadian Olympian Dr. Bruce Kidd in a recent article in Canadian Running magazine this wanting to ban gender verification testing of women, led by Canada before the London games in July, Kidd states;

“But Kidd said women’s success in sports is too often seen as unnatural and a threat to male dominance.

“When women get really, really good, their femaleness has tended to be challenged: they’re not really women, they’re dykes, they’re men pretending to be women. Something’s gotta be wrong because real women can’t be that good,” he said.

Instead, Kidd suggests sport stop separating women and men as two separate groups. He said “we need to think of humans as a spectrum of variation.”

Clearly working with experts in Canada and around the world, this is a social conditioning, and are waking up to the effect, we are not allowing women to be women, and or be strong bodied.  And that, the IOC through regressive and oppressive gender policy targeting women, unsupported by facts and or science, are illegally designing and using policy to oppress women and women’s gender.  Moreover, creating a two tier system for women and men sport, creating barriers that are socially driven NOT scientifically supported, creating barriers to not allow women to perform at their very best as top high performances athletes, and if you fall outside of the IOC’s “woman criteria”, solely based on the woman’s appearance, “we are going to get you…”.

We have no criteria for men (we don’t test for men’s high excessive serum testosterone levels – its a free ride…), moreover we do not gender test men and discuss (competitive performance advantage amongst men, that Bolt, Phelps and other distinctly have. As Connor’s article suggest, we in-fact celebrate it and relish in the fact, that such a fine specimen exists. In-fact we have a system in many sports searching for that next genetic anomaly to supersede in their sport), though it is men creating the criteria for women and how women should be and appear in sport. Gender verification testing and the IOC gender policies are clear violations of “Human Rights and of Women and Women’s Bodies”.

As a social science exercise, as the evidence and experts are showing, this is not an issue of athleticism, but a social one and determining in the “vision of men” how women should and will be perceived and acceptable visually in sport. Thus as science is showing and the evolution of women in sport and having greater opportunity, more and more women, are rapidly closing the gap between the sexes.  It is not so much physiology, as it about access and opportunity to participate and develop.

The IOC historically has royally screwed this up, as indicated by experts because of their complete and verified by experts, “incompetence” has led to the most catastrophic circumstances on female athletes over the last five decades, until now with very little accountability.  Georg Facius (Denmark) of the EAA spoke directly to the media and  international sport leaders, at the Playthegame conference in Cologne Germany, asking for the immediate resignation of Professor Anre Ljungqvist, IOC Medical Chair while reflecting as Georg stated to Ljungqvist “for 50 years of his incompetence”.  Further stating; “the medical blunder of the 20th century”.  Ljungqvist the father of gender testing with Dr. Myron Genel, Pediatrics at Yale University.

The incompetence is at the very top of the sports system, unfortunately women are the ones paying a dear price for it!

Let’s rejoice in the “Caster Semenya Effect” and women’s bodies and athleticism as we do men! Truly Awesome! Bolt, though a great athlete, Caster impact in the women’s 800m, far more impressive then the mens 100m by far, and she had to break through so many barriers to do it! That is a woman with great courage and internal strength, someone who is super human –  Something Usain Bolt never had to think about to do it and or experience being assumed Atypical male, which of course he is not as he is so exceptional physiologically, and treated as such.

Published March 28th, 2012

Canadian Sports Ministry Turns “Blind Eye” to Gender VerificationTesting at Vancouver Winter Olympics, violating Canada’s Charter of Rights and Human Rights Laws.

Canadian Sports Ministry Sport Canada, led by Director General Martin Boileau, knowingly turned a “blind eye” to gender testing of female athletes at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.  Boileau, made an educated the choice to “COW TOW” and “OLD BOYS NETWORK” of the International Olympic Committee [IOC] not to rock the boat with IOC executives, of which they attempted to hide from the public knowing the scrutiny and impact that historically gender verification and gender policies has had on so many women over the last fifty years created and designed by Professor Arne Ljungqvist, IOC Medical Commission Chair designed to as “Tools of Oppression” designed by men to oppress women.

Bolieau, was leading up to the Vancouver games, was notified by several leading Canadian sports leaders and experts including the Canadian Centre of Ethics in Sport [CCES] Canada’s anti-doping regulatory body and Canadian Olympic Committee [COC] that gender testing of women athletes would not take place in Vancouver, as it is a clear violation of Canada’s Human Rights Code, which ensures the safety and rights of all Canadians and those visiting Canada.  The CCES’s CEO Paul Melia took it one step further, writing a letter to the the IOC, specifically Arne Ljungqvist, saying we do not support gender verification of female athletes.

The CCES, was the doping control body for the games, as being the host country. Arne Ljungqvist, knowing Canada’s leadership role and stopping gender verification and gender polices, that are inaccurate, unethical and in the case of Ljungqvist, medical/policy fraud and brand abuse by Ljungqvist of which the facts and science and collaborated expertise indicates.  That in-fact, the IOC has been committing human rights violations towards women over the last 50 years. Of which this past October in Cologne Germany at the Play the Game Conference, Georg Facius of Denmark during his presentation with Ljungqvist present and Dr. Bruce Kidd of Canada as a third panelist said, “has only had catastrophic impact on female athletes”.

Facius asked Ljungqvist to step down from the IOC immediately, for the (50) years of incompetence and the gross impact this has had on women.  There very identities taken away from them. Moreover these  women that were virtually socially and physically raped because of his social and medical incompetence of the actual facts of around human physiology and gender.

Facius described it as; “The Major Medical Blunder of the 20^th Century”

Leading world experts in bio-science now clearly stating with the science in hand as the IOC never did develop their polices on gender, only hypothothetical. “The science does not match the policies”.  In-fact what the IOC is doing is and has been doing  in-fact unethical, a fraud and are using these policies to gain access solely to women, “claiming them as unwell and wanting to support women’s health”, of which they do not offer to me.  It is a legal tactic to construe the issues to ensure continued access, and lesson their liability.

The women are healthy young women as high performance athletes (race horses), only to be “claimed” falsely unwell when they meet Arne  Ljungqvist and through policy (keeping the public and sport ignorant) justifying  these grotesques actions and – “RAPING THEM”.

As history has shown sadly the last 50 years, own has only led to catastrophic outcomes for individual women, and sadly, the IOC violating their own policies.  So very sad!

Boileau prior to new very clearly all this was going on. Prior to this, several Canadian sport leaders including myself, had correspondence and conference all with him, including Sport Canada president Dan Smith.  This ongoing pressure leading up to the games and with media awareness Sport Canada turned a “blind eye”.  Moreover when Ljungqvist [IOC] was told by Canadian leaders, that gender verification testing would not take place in Canada during the games, Ljungqvist [IOC] ignored Canada’s request and violated and disrespected Canadian law.  Four Vancouver hospitals, when Ljungqvist [IOC] tried to secure a testing location told him, “to get lost and this is not happening in our hospital and or in Canada.” Ljungqvist [IOC] still did not get the message, and bombastically pursued a location, with a Catholic hospital using “religion” as a tool to eventually solidify a clinic location to setup testing.

This could not be more unethical, let alone corrupt on so many levels.

Matthew Fedorek Ph.D now Science Director of the US Anti-Doping Agency [USADA] a pathology graduate from the University of British Columbia [UBC], and once employee of the CCES, setup ran and broke down the gender testing during the Vancouver games. What make this worse, Fedorek has NO expertise on gender let alone association and or academic writing. How insane is this….?  Again, men doing this to women. Sic.

Fedorek, certainly well aware of Canada’s as  well the CCES engagement over the last 8 years and most recently to prevent and stop these horrific practices and misleading, unethical and now noted by leading experts fraudulent by the IOC, which has only had “catastrophic outcomes” as noted by Bruce Kidd in Cologne this past October.

What is very clear, Sport Canada led by Martin Boileau and Matthew Fedorek, engaged in unethical and illegal practices of gender verification which by all extents of medical practices and knowledge by top experts if medical fraud, moreover a series of “tools of oppression” that only physically, socially and violates women.

In the case of the Vancouver Olympics, as I was asked personally by the Canadian Olympic Committee to help educate games “Mission Staff” team on these issues, as seen as an athlete and expert. I graciously declined the COC’s invitation to do so citing, “I can’t tell people how to be human.”

On December 22nd, 2011. We had a conference call with Martin Boileau, Dan Smith, David McCrindle (Sport Canada – policy), Rosemary Pitfield [CCES], myself  and John Dalla-Costa, one of of Canada’s leading ethics specialists.  John said to Boileau during the call; “With all the data collected this past year, to suggest not knowing is no longer a viable answer!”

Bolieau, ignored warning and concerns from IOC Women’s Executive Anita de Frantz, of which she spoke to me and to Sport Canada in fall of 2007, of which leading up to to this time, Canadian sport leaders led by the CCES including the COC, engaged with the IOC to stop these horrific practices and policies towards women.  Which just prior to that led to the social and physical raping of India 800m Santhi Soundarajan which she tried to commit suicide.

The IOC announced prior to the 2000 Sumer Olympics in Sydney Australia, they had discontinued gender testing of women.  This is not so, and is in-fact false.  Historically since 2000 and now 1012, led to more then 8 women being impacted, and the most horrific outcomes.  Boileau knows this but still he let it happen in Canada in Vancouver and still today in domestic policy.

Even though, the CCES and Canadian Academy of Sports Medicine [CASM] have clearly stated publicly and in academic review, as being unethical, false and illegal in Canada.

Still Boileau let it happen and continues today.

John’s comment made very clear to Boileau, and Sport Canada senior staff Smith and McCrindle of which Boileau only backtracked and had no answer when asked the hard questions during the  45min. conversation, knowing where we were going with this. Thus Sport Canada under Boileau’s leadership, of which he has been clearly educated, of which in-fact I have given several presentations in Hull to Sport Canada personally,  Boileau chose  to “COW TOWED to the IOC”, throwing to the wind, all he new and the collaborated information from experts from all over the world in-fact, knowing that women have been getting VIOLATED and RAPED under Arne Ljungqvist.

It has been brought to my attention from the Canadian Olympic Committee as well Sport Canada, the IOC was upset at Canada’s engagement and supporting the women’s ski jumping issue, citing “they were embarrassed”.

We award bad behavior…

Just recently and to make a point, at the 5th World Women’s conference in Las Angeles, IOC President Jacques Rogge made the opening presentation to delegates attending the conference, starting off with a 10 minute video of (34) high performance athletes to get delegates engaged. Of the (34) athletes in the video, (4) were women.  We can only assume, Rogge didn’t get the memo, “Women’s Conference Jacques!”

The IOC as corrupt as they are, seeing themselves above the law, international law and in this case, violated Canada’s Charter of Rights and Human Rights Laws.  Of which, Canada’s Sports Ministry turned a “blind eye” too, and intern did the very same thing to oblige the IOC when the rest of Canada’s experts, sport leaders and Vancouver hospitals said “NO”, and for very good reasons to say “NO”, to protect women from harmful and unlawful and fraudulent practices that have only RAPED, VIOLATED  AND HUMILIATED SO MANY WOMEN TO THEIR VERY CORE.

What makes this worse, a Canadian Ministry, Sport Canada made great attempts to hide  and oppress it from the public and media, knowing that these violations were being committed and the pressure out there to ensure this did not happen in Canada.  Sport Canada – the Canadian Government, chose to violate Canadian law to NOT upset the IOC and knowingly knowing making that distinct educated choice  - and that a women’s rights were being violated.

Young high performance women athletes around the world and women I compete with, see this as a direct threat to ALL women, and gender verification testing and gender policy put upon women, as “symbols” and “Tools of Oppression” designed by dated old men, who are well beyond their best before date, like Ljungqvist wanting to oppress female athletes which we do NOT do to men.  Women are forced socially to fit into a box, to which they cannot be women and be allowed to b strong bodied, let alone be the very best they can be as athletes.  Continuing to fight the stereotypes, and as the IOC has proven over and over again, if you fall outside of that A typical stereotype, we are “going to get you, humiliate and rape you to teach you a lesson.” – and because we have a policy [IOC] as noted by IOC Medical Commission President Patrick Schamasch, in a conference call September 18th 2006, with Canadian Sport leaders, from Sport Canada, the CCES and COC, when asked this – Schamasch abruptly responded when he admitted to not have done the science to support IOC gender policy and had been lying to the public and global sports system said, “I can do anything I want”.  Jaw dropping response, and leaving everyone dumb founded to hear coming out out the mouth of a leading IOC medical executive. STUNNING!

Suggesting by the IOC, very clearly “Not so much we feel we can, but we have a RIGHT to violate you.” MONSTERS!

But made very clear, if you have a “PENIS” you are good to go…. with NO boundaries and or barriers.

A Canadian Conservative Ministry (Sport Canada) has violated Canadian law. In-fact, when reviewed by lawyers, is of criminal consequences and succumbing to the “OLD BOYS CLUB” to serve personal interests, then to protect the rights of women under Canadian Law as stated under Human Rights Code of Canada.

Upon conclusion, with all the data and facts great effort was taken by Sport Canada, COC and VANOC, to oppress any knowledge of a gender verification testing centre in Vancouver, as fellow colleagues from several national sport, medical and academic institutions including the CCES over the last several years, have been key players to speaking out and challenging the IOC which has led to so many catastrophic outcomes towards women. Sport Canada, the COC specifically have been in these presetations, meetings and conference calls with the IOC, there is NO EXCUSE!

Many efforts have been clearly made by sport leaders, medical, academics, journalists from around the world as well (4) Vancouver hospitals denying the IOC access and clearly stating this is not going to happen here or in Canada. Great steps were made to ensure this did NOT happen, and they knowingly chose to ignore the warning and the human rights violations that the IOC was already under scrutiny with the IAAF leading up to the game , thus choosing to violate Canada’s Human Rights Code to “COW TOW” and self-serve to the International Olympic Committee, knowingly the violations the IOC was and has been up against, that has unethically, violated and oppressed so many women and that these polices and and practices had NO basis of actual science, and has only led to solely “catastrophic outcomes of female athletes”. Sport Canada, COC and VANOC were prepared to role the dice when so many warning signs had been given, knowingly going outside of Canadian law, to impress the IOC. Just Sic!

Published March 18th, 2012

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Play the Game 2011 Day 3 Part 3/Cologne 2011 – Gender Session in Video

The second session concerned the “intersex challenge to sport”, a subject with huge consequences for athletes.

About Ljungqvist, Facius and Kidd

Arne Ljungqvist (SWEDEN), Chairman of the IOC Medical Commission asked: “Is there a need for a third sex in sport?” His answer was “no”.Ljungqvist is responsible for the end to “gender verification” in the IAAF and the IOC.

Georg M. Facius (DENMARK), who followed Ljungqvist violently accused him of reinstating gender verification with the new IOC policy on intersex athletes, a claim that Ljungqvist denies, saying that the question is one not of gender verification, but of confirming eligibility of athletes to compete in women’s divisions.

Bruce Kidd (CANADA), an academic and former Olympic athlete, proposed an alternative to current biochemical-based thinking in the form of gender self-declaration.

Goto Full Video of complete session “Click Here”
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Published January 27th, 2012

THE “PROPER” GENDER OF ATHLETES – Presentation at “Play the Game” conference 2011

By GEORG FACIUS – DENMARK

Gender verification is a serious issue, actually a dead serious issue, and is has a long and sad history within sport.

But let me start by mentioning two very recent initiatives related to the gender issue in sport.

Earlier this year the “Court of Arbitration for Sport” has approved jurisdiction to take on a legal case against the International Olympic Committee, under the headline: “Human Rights and the Oppression of Women´s Gender in International Sport”. The outcome of this may very well bring about one of the biggest changes of all times in international sport.

A “Gender Pin Badge” has been designed for London 2012 and was unveiled on September 15th in the presence of London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton, and the minister for Sport and the Olympics Hugh Robertson, and the deputy secretary general of the Council of Europe, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio.

Mr. Deighton stated: “Our vision is as bold as it is simple – to use the power of the Games to inspire change, and one way of showing our support for a sporting environment built upon equality and inclusion”

Facius calls it, “The Major Medical Blunder of the 20^th Century” continuing to state, ” All along through most of these 50 years Arne Ljungquist has been the man with the overall and main responsibility for gender testing, firstly within IAAF and now within the IOC, and it is beyond me how he himself, with his history, can continue in charge of this, and as chairman of the IOC medical commission, and how on top of 50 years of failure, he can be allowed to do so, by the responsible bodies. I can only urge him to have the decency to step down.”

Goto Full Article - “CLICK HERE”
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Published – January 19th 2012

Play the Game 2011 – Gender Session – IOC Medical Chair deemed “Incompetent” after 50 years of the “failure” of gender testing and policy. Asked to step down immediately!

Monday October 3rd, 2011 organizers of Play the Game during a week long conference  titled; “Bring Change to the heart of Sport” with leading delegates and experts converging on Cologne Germany, at the University of Cologne to discuss issues impacting international and Olympic sport programming. From issues of anti-doping, sport gambling, organizational corruption and issues of gender and human rights.

On Wednesday, the session titled; “Little Difference, Huge Impact: The Gender Challenge to Sport” began the day. Led by a joint key note presentation from Prof. Arne Ljungqvist, International Olympic Committee [IOC] Chairman – father of gender testing and policy. Presenting in direct parallel with Ljungqvist was Danish Georg Facius, IAAF Technical Official and key official and expert of both the EAA’s Anti-doping and Competition Committees.

Upon conclusion of Facius ground breaking presentation which he states; “All along through most of these 50 years Arne Ljungquist has been the man with the overall and main responsibility for gender testing, firstly within IAAF and now within the IOC, and it is beyond me how he himself, with his history, can continue in charge of this, and as chairman of the IOC medical commission, and how on top of 50 years of failure, he can be allowed to do so, by the responsible bodies. I can only urge him to have the decency to step down.”

Georg Facius complete  presentation titled; “Trying to Verify The “Proper” Gender of Athletes”

Later that afternoon, Canadian Dr. Bruce Kidd, O.C., PhD. and Olympian in mens athletics presented in parallel to Georg Facius earlier keynote presentation with Ljungqvist, titled; “For gender self-declaration”. Kidd, speaks about “Misdiagnosis”, saying; “The Challenge is NOT “intersex” or atypically athletes. But a social problem resulting from reassertion of moral physiology, fear/demonization of difference and patriarchal control of sport.”
Going further to suggest that there is “so much variation among humans” from “body composition and biochemistry, household and community resources, especially access to bio-medical technology and sport sciences, cultural norms of which are all related to competitive performance.”

Kidd suggests, “The Olympic Movement “celebrates humanity” in all its diversity, why single out this area of difference?” And that, “Self-identify is fundamental to human rights and the ideal of self-expression that is the basis of Olympic sport.” Then asking the fundamental question, “How can the Olympic Movement, which encourages and affirms the right of self-expression through sport, deny the right of self-identity to some humans?”

Upon conclusion, Dr. Kidd profoundly states; “By elevating the results of performance to be the determining metric of the Olympic Movement, the new gender verification requirements further marginalize the educational and intercultural goals of Coubertin, ” the “chill of surveillance culture is heightened.”

Thus stating, as did Facius in his earlier presentation stated; “The IOC must abolish the targeted ‘gender investigation’ once and for all.” Going one step further giving recommendations as next steps, removing the IOC from making such decisions that effect all sport as it pertains to gender, and that; “Academics, policy makers and journalists contribute to this effort, especially the deconstruction of gender and the furtherance of inclusive language.” and move towards; “The Olympic Movement and the broad sport community re-invigorate their efforts to empower women, especially at the level of leadership.” and; “As much as possible, school and community sport be re-organized on the basis of athletic ability, rather than gender.”

Published October 2011

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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

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.

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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

Caster reveals her agony over sex test
BONGANI MDAKANE | 09 July, 2011 23:53

An emotional and depressed Caster Semenya has revealed the humiliation and anguish she endured when doubt was cast on her gender.

Goto Full Article: “Click Here”

Published July, 2011

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].
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Three (3) Key Recent References:

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”

Published July 2011

PLAY THE GAME 2011 Programme Committee confirms today, Inclusion First Foundation presentation “Little Difference, Huge Impact: The Gender Challenge to Sport” – October 3-6th. Cologne Germany.

This could not have been received at a better time.  I received confirmation early this morning from the organizers from Play The Game in Denmark, that I have been approved by the Programme Committee to present on behalf of our new foundation.

Play The Game  Conference 2011 - “Bringing change to the heart of sport.”

For the seventh time Play the Game will gather stakeholders in sport to join the discussion on essential issues in world sport at the world communication conference Play the Game 2011 – bringing change to the heart of sport.

The conference offers a unique forum for dialogue on sport. Over 13 years and six world conferences, Play the Game has become the only international forum where leading stakeholders meet face-to-face in free and fact-based debates about the most important challenges to modern sport.

For Further Details about Play the Game: “Click Here”

For Further Details about Inclusion First Foundation: “Click Here”

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Published June 10th, 1011
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Volume 9 Issue 4 April 2011

IAAF: hyperandrogenism rules are challenge proof

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is confident that its rules on the eligibility of females with hyperandrogenism will withstand legal challenge when they are published on 1 May. Hyperandrogenism is a medical condition involving excessive production of hormones (androgens) such as testosterone.

Guidelines published by the International Olympic Committee on 5 April and the IAAF rules allow a female with hyperandrogenism to compete in women’s events ‘provided that she has androgen levels below the male range (measured by testosterone levels in serum)’. “We have received good feedback from lawyers and human rights experts”, said an IAAF spokesperson. “It is the only way to deal with this issue from a medical point of view. If we don’t have rules on this, we will also face legal challenge from other female athletes.”

Kristen Worley, founder of the Coalition of Athletes for Inclusion in Sport, questioned basing eligibility rules on androgen levels. “It flies in the face of the overwhelming evidence of the tremendous hormonal variability among humans”, she said. “This sets up many other young people for the devastating treatment that Caster Semenya experienced.”

Both the IAAF and IOC also dismissed concerns that by making an athlete who fails a hyperandrogenism test ineligible, they are posing a threat to their privacy. ‘A female athlete who declines, fails or refuses to comply with the eligibility determination process under the regulations shall not be eligible to compete in women’s competition’, read a 14 April IAAF release. Both the IAAF and IOC said there had been similar cases in the past that had been kept private. “Early detection for example under the Athlete Biological Passport will eliminate this issue”, said an IAAF spokesperson.

The IOC’s hyperandrogenism rules are scheduled for approval at the 123rd IOC Session in Durban, 1-9 July. “Once all athletes have their own biological passports, a case would be identified by abnormal hormone levels”, said an IOC spokesperson. “Since it may take some years for biological passports to become fully applicable, we will rely on the following mechanisms to trigger an androgen investigation: (i) the athlete may have symptoms that make her consult her team doctor; (ii) a pre-participation health examination may reveal there is a problem; (iii) a suspicion may arise in the doping control station; or (iv) a doping control analysis may reveal an abnormal hormone pattern”.

Goto Full Publication “Click Here”

Published May 2011

Frost Illustrated
Sports body to reject ‘I know it when I see it’ standard for women
May 4th 2011

“The International Olympic Committee and the International Association of Athletics Federations have a new policy to deal with athletes whose sex development is unusual.

The bad news is that the new policy appears biased and sexist which, critics worry, could trickle down to school-based sports. Players will be tested for testosterone and women with high levels will be excluded from games while men will not.”

Goto to Full Article “Click Here”

Other Reference
NYTimes April 24th, 2011 – Redefining the Sexes in Unequal Terms
Prof. Alice Dreger, clinical medical humanities and bioethics.
Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.
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Published April 4th, 2011

IAAF – Releases Today HA Regulations – Explanatory Notes re Hyperandrogenism – Continued Aggression, Oppression and Medicalization of Women Athletes.

A tremendous setback for women’s participation in sport, human rights and Olympic Movement.

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“Despite the well documented sorry history of the medicalization of women, it medicalizes the definition of womanhood one more time, taking the expression of embodied gender identity out of the hands of the very humans involved, and setting up many other young people for the devastating treatment that Caster Semenya experienced. Moreover, it flies in the face of the overwhelming evidence of the tremendous hormonal variability among humans.

What is further shocking, the IAAF and IOC projecting the athletes health is at risk and or see as “abnormal” to purposely publicly mislead to legitimize their policy and unsupported actions.  Where in-fact most high performance female athletes have raised level of androgens for various natural reasons, ad that that they are some of the healthiest women on the planet.  Only to be presumed “unwell” when being ONLY confronted by the IAAF and IOC.

In the elite  mens division, there are are no set limits – in-fact promoted and take advantage of to push the male human performance barriers.

This is a social ethics problem, which in-fact has whatsoever nothing to do with the athletes themselves.  This is an entrenched  and historical problem of sport, IOC and IAAF and how ALL women are perceived as high performance athletes as women in sport.”

Kristen Worley – Canadian High Performance Elite Athlete/Gender Educator

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“The bad news is that the new policy seems sexist in its philosophy. Indeed, it is so sexist that it may even count as a violation of Title IX, which will matter because the international policies will undoubtedly trickle down to school-based sports.

The hormones in question are not naturally exclusive to men. Women and men naturally make androgens — sometimes called strength-building hormones — including testosterone.

Yet despite the fact that testosterone belongs to women, too, the I.O.C. and the I.A.A.F. are basically saying it is really a manly thing: “You can have functional testosterone, but if you make too much, you’re out of the game because you’re not a real woman…”

“…Yet this newly proposed biological reduction of women to a hormonally disadvantaged class of people — one medically made disadvantaged, if necessary — struck many of us as regressive from the standpoint of women’s rights. Indeed, it reminds me of those itty-bitty shorts that college women’s volleyball players must wear. They each sexualize the bodies of female athletes as a requirement of play. They each insist that a woman never be manly.”

NYTimes April 24th, 2011 – Redefining the Sexes in Unequal Terms
Prof. Alice Dreger, clinical medical humanities and bioethics.
Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.
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“How can the I.O.C. and I.A.A.F. claim that they support the full inclusion of women when they reimpose a medical test for their very identity? It’s a huge setback for human rights and the integrity of the Olympic movement.”

April 24th, 2011 – Redefining the Sexes in Unequal Terms
Former Canadian Olympian, Dr. Bruce Kidd
University of Toronto.

Download Official IAAF Document PDF Release “Click Here”
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Other Supporting References of the Historical Impact of Gender Testing
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Journal of Human Sport & Exercise
An approach to the biological, historical and psychological repercussions of gender verification in top level competitions

JOURNAL OF HUMAN SPORT & EXERCISE – VOLUME 5 | ISSUE 3 | 2010 _________________________________________________________________________________________
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The University of Western Ontario Medical Journal
Gender verification testing: Necessary for the integrity of international athletics, or inexcusable breach of personal privacy?

Volume 79, Number 2 – Endocrinology -Published Spring 2010

Published May 2nd, 2011

This article  is a reflection of Canada’s commitment and leadership to diversity, social ethics and inclusion. In April, we convened in Ottawa as a select panel, hosted by the Canadian Centre of Ethics in Sport.  Unanimously condemning gender testing and the Stockholm Consensus despite the sorry history of which they were designed too medicalize women and the definition of womanhood, taking expression of embodied gender identity out of the very hands of the very humans involved , and setting up many other young people for the devastating treatment that Caster Semenya experienced. Moreover, it flies in the face of the overwhelming evidence of the tremendous homonal variability among humans.

NY Times ESSAY – Sports
Redefining the Sexes in Unequal Terms
April 23, 2011

The good news is that the International Olympic Committee and the International Association of Athletics Federations, the governing body for track and field, have worked hard to come up with a new policy to deal with athletes whose sex development is unusual.

Although sports officials contend that this reworking is not a specific response to the fiasco surrounding the South African runner Caster Semenya, what happened to Semenya constitutes reason enough to seek reform. Surely no athlete should learn from watching television, as Semenya did, that her sex has been called in question on the international stage. And no athletes should have to face the previous patchwork policy on sex testing, wondering what will happen if their particular condition is not clearly explained in the rules.

The new policy no longer allows any room for a simplistic “I know it when I see it” approach to who counts as a female athlete. Women who test in the male range for functional testosterone will have to have their levels chemically squashed in order to play. (Functional testosterone means not just the amount the body makes, but also how the body responds to it, because some people’s cells lack receptors to respond.)

The bad news is that the new policy seems sexist in its philosophy. Indeed, it is so sexist that it may even count as a violation of Title IX, which will matter because the international policies will undoubtedly trickle down to school-based sports.

The hormones in question are not naturally exclusive to men. Women and men naturally make androgens — sometimes called strength-building hormones — including testosterone.

Yet despite the fact that testosterone belongs to women, too, the I.O.C. and the I.A.A.F. are basically saying it is really a manly thing: “You can have functional testosterone, but if you make too much, you’re out of the game because you’re not a real woman.”

To my knowledge, there is no equivalent of this biochemical policing in men’s sports. If a man has a mutation that gives him a big advantage — say he makes lots of testosterone — he can count that as a natural advantage. Indeed, at least now, men and women are allowed all other advantageous biochemical mutations.

The idea behind this policy is to make a move toward creating the mythical level playing field. But what is really being leveled here is the bodies of female athletes. Thus the game being played seems to be a kind of controlling who will count as a sexually appropriate woman: submit to being made sexually “normal” through hormone treatments or you cannot compete.

The I.O.C. and the track federation would probably say that the typical man’s functional testosterone level is orders of magnitude higher than the typical woman’s. True enough, but the same large variations could be true for other naturally occurring differences between classes of athletes, and yet it is only women who are being limited in terms of natural biochemical advantage.

At a meeting hosted by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport last week in Ottawa, a group of us mulled over this problem. We were all sympathetic to the I.O.C. and I.A.A.F.’s struggle. Sports has surely grown up past the age of sexual innocence, but it has not found its way. There is no perfect solution, one that is reasonably objective, universally applicable and universally satisfying.

Yet this newly proposed biological reduction of women to a hormonally disadvantaged class of people — one medically made disadvantaged, if necessary — struck many of us as regressive from the standpoint of women’s rights. Indeed, it reminds me of those itty-bitty shorts that college women’s volleyball players must wear. They each sexualize the bodies of female athletes as a requirement of play. They each insist that a woman never be manly.

In Ottawa, I met the former Olympian Bruce Kidd, a leader in international sports policy who served for nearly two decades as the dean of the faculty of physical education and health at the University of Toronto.

In a follow-up e-mail correspondence, he wrote: “How can the I.O.C. and I.A.A.F. claim that they support the full inclusion of women when they reimpose a medical test for their very identity? It’s a huge setback for human rights and the integrity of the Olympic movement.”

Alice Dreger is a professor of clinical medical humanities and bioethics at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.

Goto Full Article – “Click Here”

Published April 26, 2011