The XY Problem in Sports

AP released an article: When Someone Is Raised Female and the Genes Say XY that is basically about the implications should South African runner, Caster Semenya, has the sexual development disorder that’s been reported in Australian newspapers this week. Something in the AP story just struck me as odd:

Experts say Semenya should be allowed to race as a woman…

[…]

Unless she took some illicit substance, Semenya is a female with a birth defect, simple as that, said Dr. Myron Genel, a professor emeritus of pediatrics at Yale University.

OK. Here’s what I have trouble with in the statement: how would Semenya, or any athlete, be a female with a birth defect and not a male with a birth defect? After all, a confirmed XY chromosome would say that genetically, the tested subject is a male. Any developmental abnormalities would then, so it would make sense to surmise, be relative to the male norm. Similarly, an XX individual would first be judged as a female.

I implications of the article, should the condition be accurate as reported, suggests that Semenya is a genetic male with undescended testes and a non differentiated penis. As humans are, essentially, developmentally female until genetics and hormones hit at the right time in the womb, any external appearance would be due to this default design.

Obviously, if the reports are accurate, this would mean that Ms Semenya would need to compete as a male, unfair as that would be.

Honestly, this is one of those parts of the genetic casino that really messes with athletes. Some will argue that she didn’t do anything wrong other than land on double-zero on the genetic roulette wheel. I totally agree. She didn’t. I do think, however, assuming the reports are accurate, in this game of chance, she loses. Either she has an unfair advantage competing against women, or an unfair disadvantage competing against men. If she tests with XX, all other aspects being the same, I say let her run with the women. Otherwise, she needs to run with the men. It sucks, but there it is. Genetics has to be the tie-breaker.

(I should note there is a loop-hole. Should the testes be removed, she could then compete under the transgender/transsexual rules.)