Caster Semenya was a household name for about a week just a few months ago. The runner had her gender questioned after winning the World Championships in the 800-meter run. People said that she seemed too good at an early age, had improved too quickly and just didn’t seem all that feminine. So the IAAF, Track and Field’s governing body, had her gender tested, and she was exonerated. But the stain from the controversy never left Semenya, as corporate sponsors have been running in the other direction.
Semenya has been so distraught about her inability to obtain financing that she has resorted to a Facebook campaign to raise money. This is an unusual situation for a world champion athlete, especially in South Africa, where world champs are incredibly rare.
Her manager, Tshepo Seema, said this to the Associated Press:
“We have been to various companies, motor companies, cell phone companies, restaurant chains, a whole range of companies. Caster has been cleared to compete as a female athlete, she should get the opportunity for sponsorship. Companies have said there is a lot of uncertainty around Caster. They have said, ‘We can’t touch her.'”
Semenya has been requesting small donations of 70 cents from those who support her. Currently, she receives a salary from the South African government and running clothes from a company that sells sportswear. She also has access to training facilities. But the cost of travel to international events can be expensive, which is likely one of her greatest concerns to date.
I’ll admit that I wasn’t sure what to think about Caster Semenya when I saw her last year. She was suspiciously good at the age of 19 and also seemed to improve her time in an unnatural fashion. Most athletes don’t drop their 800-meter run times by eight seconds in one year, and as a former track coach, I’ve always found these kinds of performances to be driven by something deep and unseemly. But anything is possible, so any accusations had to be fairly investigated. After the gender issue was cleared up, there was still the issue of drug use.
One of the interesting things about the case of Caster Semenya is that many believe performance-enhancing drug use to be rampant throughout track and field. The game seems to be one of cat and mouse, where regulatory authorities are consistently a step behind the chemists who make the drugs. Most champion athletes are obligated to present themselves to the public as being the epitome of clean-living, only to be found out years later. It’s an ugly and vicious cycle.
I admit that I am not a fan of drug use in sports. But the problem is that drugs aren’t going to go away. Also, if it were somehow the case some drugs are found not to have any serious long-term health consequences, it’s hard to argue against their use. At the same time, there’s something about the idea of performance-enhancers that takes away from the purity of competition, and that’s what bothers us. You can rest assured, however, there is significant drug use taking place throughout track and field, cycling and quite a few other sports. Let’s not get it twisted.
As for Caster Semenya, her problem is that in spite of the results of the gender test, there are still people who are suspicious. Perhaps the gender issue has been alleviated, but the drug issue still looms over her head. Her deep voice, adam’s apple and sudden improvements are going to make her untouchable in corporate America for a very long time. Even an Olympic gold medal won’t make much of a difference.
