No one doubts that Olympic athletes are genetic outliers and that the greatest Olympic champions are outliers among outliers. Well, I thought that everyone got it until I read stuff like this.
Here is the issue, as I see it: the men’s category is unrestricted; as far as I know, one doesn’t have to do a genetic test to compete in it. The women’s category IS a restricted category because men have genetic advantages in the major sports. Really..otherwise why have a women’s division.
And the issue here really is: does Semenya qualify *as a female* for the purposes of athletics? To me, that is really it. And no, I am not qualified to determine what criteria should be used.
Of course there are genetic outliers within the “female category” but ..does Semenya fall in that said category? Or is it more fair to vie Semenya as a “so-so but hardly world class” open category athlete.