Sex, Gender, and Sport At the Olympic Games this summer,
competitors from around the world will present dazzling displays
of athleticism and sportsmanship—that is, if they meet the
International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) sex criteria. On June
22nd, just five weeks before the opening ceremonies in London,
the IOC ruled that testosterone levels will be used to determine
the eligibility of Olympic athletes to compete in female-only
events. This ruling came as a result of the controversial and
humiliating investigation of Caster Semenya, the South African
middle distance runner whose muscular physique and brilliant win
in the 800 meters at the 2009 World Championships raised
questions about her sex. At the time these doubts were voiced,
the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)
lacked a clear policy for investigating such concerns. Semenya
was subjected to invasive medical testing and was banned from
competition while the investigation continued. She was
reinstated in 2010 and was recently nam