Follow up

While I was researching more on Caster Semenya I came across someone who has been in a similar situation as Semenya. Santhi Soundarajan is an Indian athlete who competes for middle distance track events. She won a silver medal in 2006 Asian Games for 800m. She was asked to undergo "gender verification test", by I.A.A.F., unfortunately her results indicated that does not have characteristics of being a woman. Her silver medal was taken away because she did not pass the "sex test". According to Wikipedia, her coach stated that her upbringing was in a very rural village of India. In 2004 she started eating proper meals, which might have been the reason behind her test result. Later on people came to know that she might have been born with something known as "Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome". "This condition includes the existence of a 'Y' chromosome in phenotypic females (typically only associated with a male genotype) and results in an inability to respond to Androgens. This unresponsiveness leads to a female body without female internal sex organs. Although the body produces testosterone, it does not react to the hormone." Due to sex discrimination she attempted suicide in September 2007. I think Santhi's situation is comparable to Semenya, especially their upbringing are very similar, they both did not have proper nutrition or shelter to live a normal life which I feel is a major issue behind their sex type. In one of Santhi's interview she clearly stated that she was not able to win her fight because she came for a very small village and no one would fight for her, but Caster Semenya should not abandon this fight. After hearing of such cases I think I.A.A.F needs to change their policy on who or what should be considered a male or a female, they should realize the fact that not everyone is well nourished and brought up with proper nutrition and vitamins. If they plan on doing something like to at least one person every year they should not let such people participate, so they way they do not have to face the insult. If they think the female should have breasts and a vagina with ovaries then they should just state it, not everyone is gifted and not everyone is perfect as they would expect. I.A.A.F. has no right to insult people like Caster Semenya and Santhi Soundarajan, they should realize the emotional stress and embarrassment these people have to face, and after all they are humans. Therefore, people like Caster and Santhi should be treated equally as other females and not be discriminated. I.A.A.F. definitely needs to make up a list of what they expect from each athlete as a male and a female so other do not have to face such problems in the future.