Tag Archive for 'caster semenya'

Ms. blog Magazine – Curious Tension: Feminism and the Sporting Woman

By Susan J. Bandy
May 2nd, 2012

As a former athlete and a graduate student in sports studies, I embraced feminism in the 1970s. It seemed to be a natural alliance because I had experienced sports as personally liberating and felt that it offered females the possibility to become accomplished athletes, develop strong and healthy bodies and defy societal views of females as physically and psychologically unsuited for sport.

Simone de Beauvoir’s view of sport and physical activity in The Second Sex, which many consider the starting point of second-wave feminism, clarified what I felt. In 1949, she claimed that if a female could “swim, climb mountain peaks, pilot an airplane, battle against the elements, take risks, go out for adventure … she will not feel before the world … timidity.”

De Beauvoir shared similar views with earlier American feminists of the 19th century, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, who understood the importance of educating and liberating the body as pivotal to some of the most basic concerns of early feminism.

READ Full Article - “Click Here”

Published may 2nd, 2012

CFRB 1010 – Canada’s Talk Radio – Jim Richard’s Showgram

Ladies Professional Golf Association LPGA – Gender Controversy

October 14, 2010

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Ladies Professional Golf Association LPGA – Gender  Controversy
Kristen discusses with Jim in studio.

Relevant to ongoing discussions High Performance and International/Olympic Sport today.

LISTEN to Full Interview - “Click Here”

Republished April 27th, 2012
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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 Running | Former Canadian Olympian Bruce Kidd wants gender testing banned

February 2, 2012

Former Canadian Olympian Bruce Kidd says Canada should publicly declare its opposition to gender testing in sport before the London Games this summer.

Kidd, a professor in the faculty of physical education and health at the University of Toronto, competed in the men’s 5,000m race in the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. According to an article on Winnipeg’s Uptown Magazine website, Kidd recently gave a lecture calling for a ban on gender testing in sport.

His talk, titled “The case for gender self-determination: a defense of Caster Semenya against the International Olympic Committee’s gender testing,” argued that gender testing was created in response to a “moral panic around strong women.”

South African runner Caster Semenya created controversy in 2009 after winning the 800m at the World Track and Field Championships. The IAAF ordered her to undergo a gender verification test in response to concerns over her muscular build, deep voice and improved race times. In 2010, the organization cleared Semenya to race.

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.”

Sports should be re-organized such that athletes would compete solely on the basis of ability, he added.

The IOC banned mandatory gender testing in 1999, but Kidd also said he is worried the media frenzy surrounding Semenya could mean the IOC might reinstate compulsory testing before the 2012 games in London.

Goto Article Published - “Click Here”

Published March 20th, 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

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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

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

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

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].
__________________________________________________________________________________

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

A Brilliant Lecture – Dr. Alice Dreger: Is anatomy destiny?

Alice Dreger works with people at the edge of anatomy, such as conjoined twins and intersexed people. In her observation, it’s often a fuzzy line between male and female, among other anatomical distinctions. Which brings up a huge question: Why do we let our anatomy determine our fate?

Alice Dreger studies history and anatomy, and acts as a patient advocate.

Alice Dreger is a professor of clinical medical humanities and bioethics at the Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University in Chicago. She describes her focus as “social justice work in medicine and science” through research, writing, speaking and advocacy.

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

Published June 12th, 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.

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

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Published June 10th, 1011
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Associated Press – Semenya achieves goal in 800 meters at Prefontaine Classic

EUGENE, Ore. — Caster Semenya is focusing on her times, not her finishes.

The world champion from South Africa achieved her goal of running the 800 meters in less than 2 minutes in her American debut, saying her second-place showing at the Prefontaine Classic on Saturday is irrelevant as she continues to come back from a long layoff.

Semenya, who won the 800 at the 2009 world championships then had to sit out nearly a year while she awaited results of gender testing, finished in 1 minute, 58.88 seconds Saturday, 0.59 behind Kenia Sinclair of Jamaica.

“The time is good. There is nothing bad I can say about the race,” the 20-year-old Semenya said. “It doesn’t matter about the position, it only matters about the time, and it’s good to run in the 1:58s.”

It was the South African’s debut on the international Diamond League circuit. The Pre, as it is known, is the fourth meet in the series this season.

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Published June 5th, 2011

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”.

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Published May 2011