Zimbabwe female athlete 'was man'

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2007-11-04 05:09pm

Zimbabwe female athlete 'was man'
One of Zimbabwe's leading junior athletes, who has won several gold medals in women's events, is really a man, police say.

Samukeliso Sithole, 17, has been charged with impersonation.

At her court appearance, she insisted that she was a woman, despite a doctor's report to the contrary.

Ms Sithole said she was born with both male and female sexual organs and a traditional healer had made the penis disappear but it had since regrown.

She told the court that the penis had returned because the healer had not been fully paid for his services.

She said that she had already arranged to pay the healer on 3 March, the day her trial is set to start, and so she expected her penis to disappear once more, according to the state-run Herald newspaper.

Multi-talented

The state prosecutor said he wasn't sure whether to keep Ms Sithole in men's or women's remand cells.

The BBC's Steve Vickers in Harare says that there has been a great deal of interest in the case with radio phone-ins full of speculation.

One caller said that Ms Sithole had won gold medals for Zimbabwe and so should not be punished.

The case came to light when somebody told one of Ms Sithole's friends and fellow athletes, Melita Mudondiro, that she was really a man.

Ms Mudondiro had undressed in front of Ms Sithole in the belief that she was a woman and lodged a formal complaint to the police.

The multi-talented athlete has competed in regional tournaments in triple jump, javelin and shot-putt, winning several gold medals.

The National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe is yet to comment on the matter.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/a ... 249949.stm

Published: 2005/02/09 14:15:29 GMT

© BBC MMVII

Post by **Broomstick** » 2007-11-04 05:18pm

There actually IS a genetically-based condition where at birth the child has the appearance of either female or ambiguous genitals, but at puberty the penis grows along with other male secondary sexual characteristics. This could be the basis for this person's story, however --

Such people, despite early appearances, really are men.

Sidewinder · Post by **Sidewinder** » 2007-11-04 06:01pm

I'm reminded of an episode of 'Futurama' where Bender tries out for the Robot Olympics, realizes he has no chance against the male athletes, and cross-dresses so he can win against female athletes. (Later, he gets a sex change operation to pass gender tests.)

By the way, why doesn't the article mention Klinefelter's syndrome, which I assume Sithole suffers from?

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2007-11-04 06:08pm

So I'm going to be the first immature prick who giggles at the name "Sithole"?

Anyway, there are hormonal things that do what she describe, however, that doesn't make her any less male. However, at this point, I doubt she should be punished because she didn't know and wasn't purposely going in drag in order to win, which has been known to happen before. No intent to commit a crime there, just a colossal biological oops.

Setesh · Post by **Setesh** » 2007-11-04 06:37pm

Broomstick wrote:There actually IS a genetically-based condition where at birth the child has the appearance of either female or ambiguous genitals, but at puberty the penis grows along with other male secondary sexual characteristics. This could be the basis for this person's story, however --

Such people, despite early appearances, really are men.

There are actually several variations on this and not all are 'men'. Hell Oprah had entire shows based on born hermaphrodites who were surgically given the wrong gender shortly after birth. Several of them were sent 'male' only to become deeply confused when puberty hit and they started developing the opposite gender's secondary sexual characteristics.

Lord of the Abyss · Post by **Lord of the Abyss** » 2007-11-04 06:50pm

Sidewinder wrote:By the way, why doesn't the article mention Klinefelter's syndrome, which I assume Sithole suffers from?

It may not be the same thing. I do recall that there's a genetic disorder where someone starts out looking female, but is male internally and his male organs "pop out" at puberty. It's due to a lack of a male hormone - not testosterone -, which ends at puberty, thus the late developement ( and not a lot of emotional trauma ). But even that's quite the same, since such people look female at birth; until puberty they don't have a penis that some healer could allegedly wish away.

And I've heard of a true hermaphrodite; the result of male/female twins merging in the womb with neither dominating the other as usually happens, the result being a two-gendered individual with two-colored hair and eyes; but if someone had removed his/her penis there's no reason to think it would grow back.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2007-11-04 08:08pm

Setesh wrote:
Broomstick wrote:There actually IS a genetically-based condition where at birth the child has the appearance of either female or ambiguous genitals, but at puberty the penis grows along with other male secondary sexual characteristics. This could be the basis for this person's story, however --

Such people, despite early appearances, really are men.
There are actually several variations on this and not all are 'men'.

I'm actually thinking of a very specific condition, which is yes, quite male. True there are many variations of "hermaphrodite", but this one (which name I can not remember right now) usually has local names like "turning man" and "man at 12" where it crops up in small communities.

5-alpha-reductase deficiency? Is that the name? I can't remember tonight. But yes, the external genitals are female appearing at birth (more or less - there is some variation here) and the penis grows at puberty, which might be what happened to the person in the OP

wolveraptor · Post by **wolveraptor** » 2007-11-04 08:28pm

So if she/he is genetically hermaphroditic, in which category would she/he be allowed to compete?

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2007-11-04 08:44pm

Broomstick wrote:I'm actually thinking of a very specific condition, which is yes, quite male. True there are many variations of "hermaphrodite", but this one (which name I can not remember right now) usually has local names like "turning man" and "man at 12" where it crops up in small communities.

5-alpha-reductase deficiency? Is that the name? I can't remember tonight. But yes, the external genitals are female appearing at birth (more or less - there is some variation here) and the penis grows at puberty, which might be what happened to the person in the OP

That's the one. It's a genetic disorder where the male child doesn't have the initial burst of testosterone when their sexual organs are expressing and coming out looking (basically) female. That is, until they hit puberty, when the second wave of testosterone hits and their male genitals express and in fact are completely healthy from then on out.

I understand that it's common in this one region of the Dominican Republic. What's interesting is that that people with 5-ARD there are psychologically normal, largely because a family suddenly having a son is by no means considered a bad thing, so they don't tend to have gender identity issues there.

Gullible Jones · Post by **Gullible Jones** » 2007-11-04 08:52pm

Nitpick: I don't think you can be genetically hermaphroditic.

(Okay, there's Klinefelter's syndrome, but I seriously doubt (s)he has that - it is not conducive to athletic prowess. And people with Klinefelter's are phenotypically male.)

Setesh · Post by **Setesh** » 2007-11-04 10:47pm

Gullible Jones wrote:Nitpick: I don't think you can be genetically hermaphroditic.

(Okay, there's Klinefelter's syndrome, but I seriously doubt (s)he has that - it is not conducive to athletic prowess. And people with Klinefelter's are phenotypically male.)

Its possible just really unlikely even among hermaphroditic births. Its most often a birth defect caused by high stress during pregnancy. It only is a real problem when the doctors make the parents choose a gender shortly after birth rather than taking time to discover the childs 'true' gender.

Executor32 · Post by **Executor32** » 2007-11-05 04:57am

Apparently, "she" really was a man.

Zimbabwe sex row athlete jailed

A judge in Zimbabwe has sentenced a leading youth athlete to four years in prison for competing in female events, after being found to be a man.

Samukeliso Sithole, 18, won seven gold medals in women's competitions in 2004.

The athlete had claimed to be a hermaphrodite - with both male and female sex organs - but in court, admitted to being a man.

Six witnesses - including two doctors - said at last week's hearing, the athlete was a man.

"I am very sorry," Sithole told the court in the central town of Kwekwe.

Pregnancy fears

The athlete was charged with impersonation and causing psychological damage to fellow athletes.

Sithole was initially released while awaiting trial earlier this year because the court could not decide whether to remand the athlete in a men's or women's prison.

But in May, Sithole was found guilty of stealing from a boyfriend and sent to a male prison.

In February, the champion athlete claimed to have periods and feared becoming pregnant. Sithole said the male organs became enlarged after a traditional healer took revenge after not being paid for treatment last year.

Executor32 · Post by **Executor32** » 2007-11-05 05:06am

GHETTO EDIT: Also, apparently his real name was Fadzai Fuzani.

Sex change Zimbabwe athlete suicidal

By Staff Reporter
Last updated: 11/03/2006 01:00:00
A MALE Zimbabwean athlete who competed as a female undetected has revealed he contempleted suicide after the scandal broke.

It has also been revealed that orphaned Samukeliso Sithole is in fact using a fake birth certificate. His correct name is Fadzai Fuzani.

"I am confused and I do not know what to do," the Lancashire Steel athlete told the Chronicle newspaper. "At first I contemplated committing suicide. Why should I go through this torture? People should understand that I was born differently. People should understand my disability."

Sithole who has represented Zimbabwe at international competitions insists that he has both male and female organs, "although the male organ has outgrown the other".

“Sometime ago my male organ disappeared. The problem should have been fixed when I was young, but we owe a certain traditional healer $1,5 million which has since ballooned to $5 million. I was supposed to pay the amount with my salary in my first three months of working, according to the agreement, but I did not do that. The male organ has grown and this is some form of punishment by the traditional healer to induce me to pay the outstanding amount. I do not have that kind of money.

"The problem was discovered when I was very young and we consulted some traditional healers and the male organ disappeared. The male organ sprouted again recently. It is just decorative because it is not functional. Also, the healer said I should not sell any of my beasts," he revealed.

A Chronicle journalist who interviewed Sithole described him as "a lanky figure, with a clean-shaven chin, hairy legs and a hoarse voice."

"The breasts are not well defined. At times he has male mannerisms and at times combines both male and female mannerisms. When our crew paid a surprise visit at her home, Sithole was wearing a black denim skirt and white T-Shirt. We noticed that he had no breasts as he led us to his house. After a while he excused himself and came back dressed up this time with a stuffing, which looked like breasts," wrote Fanuel Viriri.

Zimbabwean police are already investigating the bizarre case, as it emerged that a headmaster and a teacher at Ndlamatuli Secondary School in Silobela where the athlete was a student may have played a role in falsifying his details.

According to the Chronicle, Samukeliso Sithole is a Form 4 student at the school, where the athlete is also enrolled.

Givemore Sithole, the father of the real Samukeliso Sithole told the paper that the school's sports master, Itayi Madicha had negotiated the use of their daughter's birth certificate. As their daughter is younger than the athlete, this also suggests that the athlete is an age cheat.

“Fadzai (as he is known in Silobela) came to my homestead on 7 April 2004 and informed me that teacher Madicha (Itayi) had sent her to collect my daughter’s birth certificate as she had been selected to represent the school. Fadzai also told me that she needed my particulars and my wife’s. I gave her everything, as I had no reason to doubt her. I was later informed that Fadzai had gone to Mauritius using my daughter’s birth certificate," Givemore Sithole said.

“I was quite saddened by the whole case and I made inquiries with the school headmaster (Douglas Dongo) who informed me that everything was under control. I warned them then that if Fadzai commits a crime my daughter would be held accountable. I am not happy with the way they treated the case so I lodged a report with Jena Police Station,” he added.

Ndlamatuli headmaster, Dongo, professed ignorance about the scam.

“I was not aware of anything. Our core business is to teach. Anyway the district office and Mbizo Police have been here already,” said Dongo.

Sithole's athletics career which was headed for international stardom was brought to an abrupt conclusion by a friend Melita Mudondiro, who revealed that the athlete was male.

Mudondiro has since filed crimen injuria charges stemming from the fact that Sithole saw her in the nude. She was under the impression that her friend was female.

Sithole's faces fraud charges when his trial opens at the Kwekwe Magistrates’ Courts on 3 March.

This case just gets weirder and weirder the more I find out about it.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2007-11-05 05:53am

Gil Hamilton wrote:
Broomstick wrote:I'm actually thinking of a very specific condition, which is yes, quite male. True there are many variations of "hermaphrodite", but this one (which name I can not remember right now) usually has local names like "turning man" and "man at 12" where it crops up in small communities.

5-alpha-reductase deficiency? Is that the name? I can't remember tonight. But yes, the external genitals are female appearing at birth (more or less - there is some variation here) and the penis grows at puberty, which might be what happened to the person in the OP
That's the one. It's a genetic disorder where the male child doesn't have the initial burst of testosterone when their sexual organs are expressing and coming out looking (basically) female. That is, until they hit puberty, when the second wave of testosterone hits and their male genitals express and in fact are completely healthy from then on out.

I understand that it's common in this one region of the Dominican Republic. What's interesting is that that people with 5-ARD there are psychologically normal, largely because a family suddenly having a son is by no means considered a bad thing, so they don't tend to have gender identity issues there.

Yes, there is a community in the D.M. with a relatively high rate of this disorder, as it is an inheritable condition. Boys with 5-ARD in that community tend not to have many psychological problems because they aren't isolated and the community has come to accept to some degree that this occurs. Careful examination of the genital area at birth can also lead experienced medical personnel or parents to have some idea of which little girls are likely to turn into young men, which expectation can also be factor.

Another pocket of 5-ARD is in New Guinea, where the young men in question do not fare quite so well, being looked down upon for having female qualities in a society where part of the right of passage to manhood is leaving all female things and behaviors behind.

There was an instance in Europe about two centuries ago where a young-girl-turned-young-man lead a miserable existence ending with suicide in a Parisian garret, French society at the time having absolutely no understanding or set way to deal with what they viewed at best as freakish and worst as a violation of the natural order.

How well these folks turned out mentally is dependent not on their physical condition but on the societal environment they live in.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2007-11-05 07:30am

Broomstick wrote:Yes, there is a community in the D.M. with a relatively high rate of this disorder, as it is an inheritable condition. Boys with 5-ARD in that community tend not to have many psychological problems because they aren't isolated and the community has come to accept to some degree that this occurs. Careful examination of the genital area at birth can also lead experienced medical personnel or parents to have some idea of which little girls are likely to turn into young men, which expectation can also be factor.

Another pocket of 5-ARD is in New Guinea, where the young men in question do not fare quite so well, being looked down upon for having female qualities in a society where part of the right of passage to manhood is leaving all female things and behaviors behind.

There was an instance in Europe about two centuries ago where a young-girl-turned-young-man lead a miserable existence ending with suicide in a Parisian garret, French society at the time having absolutely no understanding or set way to deal with what they viewed at best as freakish and worst as a violation of the natural order.

How well these folks turned out mentally is dependent not on their physical condition but on the societal environment they live in.

Well, the packet we got on it in Biology class was an article the particular teacher prepared on the specific little community in the Dominican Republic as a case study, the points of it being that the condition was genetic, only affects men (well, obviously), and that the people in question with it didn't suffer inherently from that many secondary problems aside from the member that being small and that they don't suffer from male pattern baldness.

I was just saying that I found it interesting that people with 5-ARD didn't have any problems associated with gender identity in that article or inherently. The teacher explained that Hispanic culture being what it was, a son (even one that took a while to get there) is always a net plus for the family, for social and financial reasons.

I didn't know about the ones in New Guinea, but I know that there would be issues here. What was funny was one of the slightly squeamish young women who sat near me in Biology class during the presentation went "Oh my god, why would God do that to somebody? I think I'd kill myself" a little to loudly and got a "God didn't have much to do with it, a lack of enzymes did and I'm sure you'd come to terms with it" from the teacher.

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » 2007-11-06 02:24pm

Couldn't she just be pre-op transgender, only with some confusion in her head because of the local superstitions?

Post by **Broomstick** » 2007-11-06 08:26pm

Yes, that is also possible - it's impossible to know for sure what's going on here based on what is in the article.

Executor32 · Post by **Executor32** » 2007-11-07 12:08am

Er, he used the name and birth certificate of a younger female schoolmate at the suggestion of the school, to falsify his details specifically for the purpose of competing. That's what I gathered from the second follow-up article I posted, anyway.