Think Steroids Testing is Embarrassing? Ask Caster Semenya

Caster Semenya

A-Rod, Barry Bonds, and others athletes who have undergone steroids testing should be happy. That's nothing compared to the indignities being cast upon Caster Semenya (photo above).

Caster Semenya photos hint at the issue. Or perhaps not, unless you know that Caster Semenya is a woman. She is an 18-year-old South African who won the 800-meter gold medal yesterday, at the World Track and Field Championships.

Looking at the Caster Semenya photos, you'd have to think "that's one muscular woman." Obviously she's not bodybuilder muscular, but she is muscular. It's not just that however: a deep voice, and rapid improvement since last year (she has dropped her times in the 800m 9 seconds) lead to suspicion over performance-enhancing drugs, which could, in fact, also lead to gender-bending physicality on a woman.

However, besides the expected drug testing, Caster Semenya must be examined by, among others, a gynecologist, psychologist and endocrinologist.

Jenny Meadows

A quick comparison between Caster Semenya photos and those of Jenny Meadows, from the U.K. and bronze medal winner, show that Meadows exhibits the lean, still muscular look of a middle-distance runner. However, Meadows looks pretty hot in a dress, while Semenya, probably not so much.

Jenny Meadows

The testing, announced yesterday, has to be embarrassing to Caster Semenya. Photo comparisons with someone like Meadows aside, this should have been handled discreetly by South Africa before the games. It's clear from reports that the IAAF tried to keep this all quiet, but once it leaked, it was all over the web.

Results of the tests are not expected until next month.