Toronto Star: Gender issue opens old wounds

Gender issue opens old wounds
South African runner's win frustrates Canadian woman whose grandmother lost Olympic gold medal in 1932 to female with male characteristics

Sep 12, 2009 04:30 AM

Kenyon Wallace
Staff Reporter


As controversy swirls over reports that world 800-metre champion Caster Semenya of South Africa is a hermaphrodite, one Canadian family is watching the drama unfold more closely than most.

Relatives of Olympic silver medallist Hilda Strike, who finished second in the 100-metre sprint at the 1932 Summer Games in Los Angeles, have seen it all before.

Strike's granddaughter, Cheryl Morris, says she is angered that female athletes today could be deprived of medals because a competitor has male characteristics that may provide an athletic advantage – just what happened to her grandmother more than 75 years ago.

"I can't believe that it's happened again," Morris, who lives in Ottawa, told the Star. "It's just wrong."

Montreal-born Strike made history at the 1932 Olympic Games when she lost a gold medal to a hermaphrodite. .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thestar.com/olympics/article/694737