"Unfair Genetic Advantage"

[teigyr]

I don't think there is any advantage to being female so male athletes get tested for a LOT of things but perhaps not genetic advantage. (Except Manny Ramirez, didn't he have female hormones in his system when he was suspended?!) Runners World (http://footloose.runnersworld.com/) has a fair amount of interviews and documentation as to what could be going on.

I was a runner who also broke records. Unfortunately (or probably fortunately) the records I broke were from mediocre people. I trained with a team that brought up Olympic athletes and in that elite group, I was not so great but when I competed for my school, I was really good.

I didn't realize this when I ran (I was really young) but unethical things do happen. My parents refused to allow it with me and it wasn't so much of an issue because I never would have done great things. I DO remember seeing the metamorphosis of some of the female runners from average girl to muscular (and sometimes hairy) athlete. Those parents that allowed it to happen had a child that might become famous and the coach got lots of fame for that athlete's skill. It benefited everyone but the runner though I don't think any of them understood what it was at the time.

I don't approve of the way Caster's testing is being done in the limelight. I don't think SHE is a bad person or is trying to work the system, if in fact there is something amiss. Adults have been known to do anything they can to produce a great runner. If anything, this proves that the IAAF needs to have clear standards on what is allowed or not allowed and if that is deemed to be unfair, then it needs to be challenged. It will be interesting to see how the tests come out.