Intersection

Gender issues haunted Paris and hunted two boxers, Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif were accused men pretending to be women. Especially Khelif who many were quick to conclude is a trans woman largely because of her superior strength.

Many weighed in on the issue in knee jerk protest they should not have been allowed to box against women. For aside from their hasty judgment, no less than the International Boxing Association banned these boxers in the worlds last year for failing gender eligibility criteria. But the International Olympic Committee does not use the same gender test. Curiously however, the governing body that banned these athletes is likewise permanently banned from the Olympics.

In truth, both are born women but suspected powered by unusually high testosterone level. This brings back the curious case of Caster Semenya who is born woman but, pardon the stereotype, looks and sounds like a man, due to her unusually high testosterone level. The double Olympic 800m champion is now banned to compete unless she artificially suppresses her natural testosterone.

The South African middle distance runner was assigned female at birth but later classified to have a difference of sex development. Accordingly, it gives her an XY chromosome pattern that naturally increases her testosterone level. Just like Namibian Christine Mboma who won the 200m sprint silver in Tokyo. It means their sex development differs from the usual. Yes, usual, not normal, because they are not abnormal. Although others prefer to call them intersex.

Regardless, whether it gives them undue advantage against their fellow women should be left to scientific and medical experts. In the meantime, where do sports place them? Should they be categorized separately and differently because many say they are neither here nor there? Tricky. One thing is certain though, just like the rest of humanity, they are here, there and everywhere. There is more than enough space to accommodate unless discrimination and hatred restrict.

Should in the future science conclude they have indeed undue advantage as to compromise sports fairness and integrity, it does not mean sports governing bodies and sports science erred before, they just knew more in the future.

But for now, there is nothing wrong with advantage in height, size, strength and speed. When used correctly, it separates the winner from the loser. But there is something wrong in undue advantage. It is when a stranger to the category is allowed to compete and win.

A woman athlete who is way superior than the rest belongs, but to a category of her own. That makes her a champion. For, when is strong too strong, fast too fast and high too high as to disqualify? Dare not ask the sore loser. Or better yet, when is power deemed excessive? Dare not ask a people that condones and celebrates misuse and abuse of power.