Boy it's tough for Caster - The Times

Despite being just short of her 20th birthday, Caster Semenya will remain a figure of controversy for the rest of her life. It doesn’t matter how many tests she undergoes, there will always be someone somewhere in the world of athletics that is sceptical of her feats.

Her feats include winning 800M gold at the 2009 World Championships by over two seconds which raised infamous questions over her gender. The IAAF made it public knowledge that they were to investigate yet dealt with the whole process in a shambolic and embarrassing way. In a retrospective statement they claimed it was to examine whether she had a rare medical condition that gave her an unfair advantage.

Whether or not she did possess this condition, no one deserves to be shamed in such a way by an internationally recognised body that regulates competition and looks to have athlete’s best interests at heart. The South African teenager who possesses a raw talent and ‘easy on the eye’ stride when on the track has fortunately been cleared to carry on competing as the women she is, or as she claims “the way god made her”.

Competitors may snub her, and there are rumours of possible mutiny yet perhaps they are envious, who knows? Sponsors may also snub her for fear of controversy but ultimately they are missing out on endorsing a young athlete who has been cleared and continues to not only beat rivals, but critics.

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