South African Olympic champion and intersex
athlete, Caster Semenya, has again come out to
angrily react to those questioning her gender
after having done verification tests eight years
ago.
In a rare interview, Caster who is gearing up for
the London World Championships to compete in
the 1500m as well as 800m described what it
felt like to have her entire existence questioned
by people.
Speaking to Dr. Ali Bacher on SuperSport, the
renowned runner said it felt like the entire world
had seen her stripped naked.
"I don't understand when you say I have an
advantage because I am a woman. When I pee, I
pee like a woman. I don't understand when you
say I am a man or I have a deep voice," she
said.
Caster explained that the entire process left her
confused, but she didn't let it overpower her
inner-strength.
According to her, she was dumbfounded by
claims that she changed her gender when she
was younger.
"How the hell can you change gender in the
rural areas? I am a woman. We don't have good
doctors, we are not rich to do such procedures,"
Caster said.
In 2009, After Semenya won the world title as a
19-year-old, tests reportedly revealed that she
was hyperandrogenous, resulting in her body
producing an abnormally high amount of
testosterone, which makes her more powerful
than her rivals.
Although, before she won the world title
competitors raised concerns over whether she
was eligible to compete as a female. The
International Association of Athletics Federations
(IAAF) confirmed at the time that Caster had
undergone a gender verification process.
The 26-year-old South African who is a
favourite for the 800m at the London World
Championships, is, however, focusing on
making history and not getting distracted by her
gender controversy.
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