I posted this on the CUSA board as well. I wonder if I may need to move it to the Quad because I do have some thoughts/questions on it.
http://www.gwsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/...10aac.html
Kind of interesting story here. Kye Allums, a member of the George Washington women's basketball team, has announced he is a male or at least wishes to be referred to as such. Allums may be the first transgender athlete to play in NCAA D1.
A transgender person identifies with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one of his or her sex at birth. So I believe that means Allums was born a female and wishes in the future to become a man.
Kye has career highs of 18 points and 9 rebounds against Rice last year.
In reading the story earlier today, it was noted that Kyle would not undergo any hormone treatments until after basketball eligibility is done. That takes that potential concern off the table. It's definitely interesting to consider the ramifications, but everything seems above board here.
(moving this to quad for obvious reasons)
Here's what I don't get though. What happens if you have an athlete who doesn't pass the 'eye test'? I'm thinking for example of that South African junior girls 800 meter runner who had those amazing times and then later was disqualified for being a boy. Does the NCAA even have a procedure in place where they can give sex tests if there is a challenge on whether someone is a male or female?
I say that because to be honest, this GWU athlete looks extremely masculine. Look at the team picture on their school's web site. He is extremely muscular. I am taking this story at absolute face value but I am curious what happens if a team has questions about an opponents' athlete?
(11-03-2010 06:37 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote: [ -> ]Here's what I don't get though. What happens if you have an athlete who doesn't pass the 'eye test'? I'm thinking for example of that South African junior girls 800 meter runner who had those amazing times and then later was disqualified for being a boy.
Caster Semenya was accused of being a man and suspended pending a determination. Subsequent testing confirmed that she was a woman and she has been cleared to resume competition.
http://communities.washingtontimes.com/n...back-race/
I have no idea about NCAA policies and procedures regarding similar issues.
I don't know - that's just not that muscular. I'm not even sure Kye is the most muscular one on the team. Semenya definitely looked more muscular and had a more prominent Adam's Apple (among other characteristics) than Kye does. Other than that haircut, Kye wouldn't stand out as a guy.
Also, in the article I read, it seems like the NCAA has faced this situation before, at the lower levels.
One other thing, particularly at the Division 1 levels. For the type of athlete being recruited (like basektball), it's going to be tough to sneak someone through. Too much exposure through the recruiting process. Perhaps some sports that have higher levels of recruitment outside the US (here comes track again) where there isn't the constant exposure and growth of the participants to all levels of recruitment that something like this might be pulled off. That was one of the shocking things about Semanya - essentially in one year, she went from a local competitor to international champion. Very tough to do in any sport.