2009 November | Kristen Worley

IOC Gender Summit – Missing The Mark - Canadian Government and Sport Leaders need to be at the table in Miami in January – To set a solid future and foundation on how we understand gender and future direction of women in the global sports system.

The upcoming IOC Gender Summit in Miami Florida in January prior to the Vancouver Winter Games in February – We must assure Canada is at the table in these meetings, as Canada has proven leadership over the last several years and most recently with our efforts leading the issues of gender in sport, the need to support diverse bodies in sport, impact on women in sport, anti-doping – TUE success, and moreover the massive human rights implications that the IOC has created fraught with ignorance in world sport, by their policies that have been in past created in a silo by few, when should be opened to experts, not just in Canada but universally around the world as these decisions by few, will effectively effect the entire system.

The IOC got is grossly wrong with the Stockholm Consensus six years ago, with the very same “experts”, some being orthopedic surgeons making decisions on gender. Makes you wonder at this level, when logic tells you, you would never hire a orthopedic surgeon to do neurosurgery, then why is it okay then for the IOC to let a orthopedic surgeon become a gender expert? It really begs a lot of questions of the IOC’s process let alone qualifications to such an important matter, effecting all sport?

This whole process is fraught with problems, let alone the problem of lacking expertise, no women at the table nor countries, NSO or professional sport bodies that have their experiences to share. Nope, the IOC sticks their heads in the sand, and take the typical silo approach, knowingly they have created such harm to so many women. They should surrender themselves, sit back and listen to the experts or one more woman will fall shortly after this summit once again. The incidences we have seen will continue if we allow the IOC to go down this path.

Dr. Arne Ljungqvist’s IOC Medical Commission Chair, comments to the Associated Press on October 27, 2009 stating, “

“Sometimes you come across cases that are uncertain and ambiguous, and it changes from being a sports matter to a medical matter,” Ljungqvist told The A.P. “That’s where we need to have a review.”

Over several years and interacting with the IOC and with Dr. Ljungqvist it was stunning to read this response from him in the AP. Clearly illustrating the pressure finally got to him and his colleagues of what they have known for years their polices have created, even weeks before IOC chief Jacques Rogge comments to the AP during a telephone interview that this was an IAAF problem attempting to resolve the IOC’s connection to this incident knowing the human rights impact this will have on the IOC if found a connection - the public outcry became to much, because people became more educated worldwide over several weeks of the profound media indulgence during and after the incident in with young Caster Semenya of South Africa at the Berlin World Championships, Ljungqvist and the IOC Medical Commission still appear they do not get it, even after all of what has been said and done. Truly Incredible!

Moreover what is most frightening, that the IOC responds like this assuming expertise, of which for decades of failed and horrible policy, gender and sex testing of women, they assume this responsibility on their own. We as Joe public accept this of them, never thinking where this all began in the first place.

A simple example to explain and illustrate clearly the issues impacting the international sports system, like Caster and other incredible women that have fallen to failed IOC policy do to social ignorance on how we understand each other, that this is not an issue of gender variance or intersex, but one of greater concern and issue effecting the each one of us in the greater system of sport.

Please see example below –

When asked the question; Do you think Caster Semenya should still be allowed to compete?

My Response;

Usain Bolt and Mike Phelps get to compete – are you saying because Caster is a woman, and that she has unique characteristics as a woman though she did not set a World’s meet record, nor a women’s 800m record. Women have run faster before her, that she is ineligible to compete?

Where as, we accept Usain Bolt and Mike Phelps performances, blowing away the fields of which they compete and continually applaud their performances saying “Go faster even…” They have unique features and competitive advantage against their male competitors, but they are NOT sex or genetically tested?

They get a pass because they are men?

If you are to apply this question to Caster you must take a broader position of these men too. Stop focusing on her Inter-sex type – it is fogging the reality of what is really going on here. Though the public release of her circumstances is profoundly illegal, it is our fascination and social struggle with sex and gender that has caused this. Sport is manmade by humans for humans, which depicts the social barriers that physically exist is a small window of greater society.

WHAT GENETIC TYPE IS USAIN BOLT or MIKE PHELPS?…. WHY AREN’T WE TEARING THEM DOWN? WHAT IS “UNCERTAIN” AND OR “AMBIGUOUS” ABOUT THEM THAT ALLOWS THEM TO OUT PERFORM THEIR CLOSEST COMPETITORS?

Using the very same model being applied to Caster, neither Usain Bolt nor Mike Phelps should be allowed to compete either, knowing their physiological advantages over their closest competitors, in both cases the fastest male athletes in the world. When either Usain or Mike show up to an event, the question remains who will be second or third in the final.

The media and general public need to ask greater questions, and not be spoon-fed by the IOC, and assume because they are the IOC (Power of a Brand) know what they are talking about and have the expertise to project they do. They don’t, we all failed Caster Semenya and dozens of women before her, watching her complete destruction.

The focus is not because Caster has a common intersex type, the issue is actually women’s performance, and how we are not accepting of exceptional performance, and that we tear women down and applaud men, and in-fact ask them to run or swim faster, asking NO questions of them – But women we do, WHY?

This is ALL about how we do sport ...

Canadian Academy of Sports Medicine November 2009, Newsletter – Pgs.11-13
PDF Newsletter From CASM – Click HERE

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CBC Radio One “The Current” Monday September 21st, 2009
For Full Half Hour Interview “CLICK” Here To Listen (Scroll Down To Part 3)
Interviewed
Canadian Elite Track Cyclist – Kristen Worley

Expert Panelists
Doug MacQuarrie - Director of the Canadian Centre of Ethics in Sport (CCES)
Myron Genel - Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics at Yale University

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The IOC Medical Commission and Dr. Ljungqvist once again proving how uneducated and poorly referenced he is to carry and lead the Gender Summit on his own in January. Ljungqvist’s announcement is only a media acknowledgment by the IOC, to give an impression they are concerned publicly because of the public outrage that has ensued, where just (3) years ago, the said “they did not care…”, now (3) more women have fallen since and (9) women in the last five years in seven other sports, and over (20) women over the last several decades.

“We Punish Difference in our society… and feel we have a right to do it!”

Though I support the summit, it is vital that the proper expertise is present, representing the key issues, to move dialogue and education forward.

CTV National News – Kristen’s Interview – Friday September 11th, 2009
To review interview, “Click Here”

What needs to be clear, the IOC has known about this for several years, hence Canada’s move to create a broader education within sport, because of the horrific history the IOC has played on policy in sport, that has profoundly impacted dozen of women, women’s growth into sport and High Performance circles.

Canada’s AthletesCAN Releases Discussion Paper
“Including Transitioned and Transitioning Athletes in Sport”
Issues, Facts and Perspectives - Published May 29th, 2009
View Science and Literary Reviews – “Click HERE”

Caster’s situation though horrific, what needs to be understood because of her courage, that this has opened a window and new language in the international sports system, that is asking greater questions of the International Olympic Committee internationally and future role of the IOC in sport governance, women’s engagement and development in sport, how we do sport, how policy is created, and who is creating it?

This Gender Summit could not be more important. The IOC cannot assume they can continue to work in this vacuum of which they have done historically, “illustrating how out of touch they are of modern society” as they go down this path, and continue to illustrate they don’t get it, making decisions that have profound impact on athletes and women in sport. It is time we put a stop to this, and assure the IOC recognizes this history, and that what has happened to Caster Semenya and women before her, that this is not an IAAF issue, but a decorated history of failed IOC policy creating a process of policy that is exclusive not inclusive under their guidelines.

Change must happen now, or we will see more women fall as we saw young Caster do, and as heartbreaking as it was for everyone watching around the globe, that we have a chance to say to the IOC;

This will no longer happen in world sport and to any other woman ever again.

WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM… Education is so key going forward.

*Please see below references.

IOC biggest threat to future of global sport- Hindustan Times
Interview with Kristen Worley
Published – October 2007
Hindustan Times – View Full Article

Who decides what is the definition of a woman- Hindustan Times
Interview with Mianne Bagger
Published – October 2007
Hindustan Times – View Full Article

Canadian cyclist “peddles” for Santhi – Hindustan Times
Published – October 2007
Hindustan Times – View Full Article

Punishing Difference – Express Buzz
Published – January 2009
Express Buzz – View Full Article

Open Letter – Jacques Rogge - International Olympic Committee -
January 2009

Releasing Ms. Santhi Soundarajan as the “martyr” of the IOC’s failed sex and
gender policy in International sport
Kristen Worley’s website – View Full Letter

Other Key Academic and Scientific Reviews

Canada’s AthletesCAN Releases Discussion Paper
“Including Transitioned and Transitioning Athletes in Sport”
Issues, Facts and Perspectives
Published May 29th, 2009
View Full Papers

Canadian Academy of Sports Medicine Position Statement
Gender Verification in Sport
Published 1997
View Full Paper

For Further In-depth Resources and Contacts.

Kristen Worley - www.kristenworley.ca

Mianne Bagger - www.miannegolf.com

AthletesCAN - www.athletescan.com

Canadian Centre of Ethics in Sport - www.cces.ca

Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport
and Physical Activity - www.caaws.ca

Canadian Academy of Sports Medicine - www.casm-acms.org

Congratulations to Canadian PAN AM Bid Committee! Toronto 2015 Games Selection Winners

Toronto on Friday November 6th, 2009 was awarded the 2015 Pan American Games. This is tremendous news for the City of Toronto and the province of Ontario. Though the games will develop new international training and competition sites desperately needed for Canadian athletes. The games are much more then just 16 days in sport and the investment of 2.6 billion dollars goes well beyond the games, creating a legacy and image that is sustainable, unique and represents the multiculturalism and diversity within the city of Toronto and Canada. Illustrating and demonstrating to the world, our ability to understand inclusion within our city and country better than anyone else, setting an example to the world to ensure a inclusive society, of which sport represents as a small window.

The success of the Canadian bid win opens doors, communications, resources and most importantly language that embraces and represents all Canadian society, illustrating why Canada is a leader in the area of human rights, human difference and development which we all share .

GO Canada GO!

Visit Official website for Games – Click HERE!