South African athlete Caster Semenya is a hermaphrodite

Update: 9/19/09

The president of Athletics South Africa apologized for lying about his knowledge of the gender tests conducted on runner, Caster Semenya before her gold-medal win at the World Athletics Championships last month.

Leonard Chuene said he wanted to protect the teenager’s privacy.  “I felt I was acting in the best interest of Semenya,” he said.

“I believed at the time my consistent denials would help protect her.  I have however realized that it was an error of judgment and that I could have been more forthcoming with this information, even if it was difficult.”

When the IAAF demanded Semenya take a gender test before the World Championships in Berlin amid fears she might not be able to run as a woman, South African officials repeated said tests were already carried out abroad, not at home and Semenya was a woman.

Update: 9/10/09

The Sydney Daily Telegraph claims that South African athlete; Caster Semenya is a hermaphrodite with no womb or ovaries.

The newspaper claims that the International Association of Athletics Federations is expected to disqualify the 18-year-old from future events.

Although the IAAF, who received the gender test results earlier today, said they would only go public after Semenya, who won the 800m World Champion last month, had been personally contacted, the Sydney Daily Telegraph decided to print the story.

Just this week, Semenya appeared on the cover of South African magazine “You” looking very much like a woman.

According to the person who leaked the story to the newspaper, Semenya has male sexual organs which produce testosterone and which in turn produces muscle bulk, body hair and a deep voice.

The gender test results could cause Semenya the gold medal she won last month in Berlin.

Update: 8/25/09

BBC Sports is reporting that tests revealed Caster Semenya, the South African runner who created controversy as to whether she is male or female; testosterone level is three times higher than those normally found in females.

The runner arrived in South African Africa on Tuesday after winning the 800m in Berlin to a rapturous welcome.

Hundreds turned out in Johannesburg to greet the teenager, who stunned the athletics world with her performance.

Original story

This is a picture of 18-year-old Caster Semenya.

Semenya is favored to win the women’s 800m World Athletics Championships race in Berlin later today.

After sailing through her first major international sporting competition during Monday’s semi-finals, questions were raised as to whether the South African athlete is a woman or a man.

Although South African athletics chiefs are furiously denying the claims, it is not stopping the rumors that the teenager is truly a man based on her muscular physique.

“She is a female,” Molatelo Malehopo, general manager of Athletics South Africa said. “We are completely sure about that and we wouldn’t have entered her into the female competition if we had any doubts.”

“We have not been absent-minded, we are very sure of her gender.  We are aware of the claims that have been made but our aim at the moment is to prepare Caster for the race this evening,” he continued.

Malehopo said he has no plans to test the athlete, and a spokesperson for the International sporting body said they have no proof that Semenya is a man and they are not going to intervene in tonight’s race, therefore, Semenya will compete in the women’s heat.

Man or woman, what do you think?