Gavin has won gold, only not by beating blokes but by being the best “sheila” in the 87Kg weightlifting class at the Pacific games held recently in Samoa.

You see, Gavin decided a few years ago that he was not a bloke but identified as a girl, and then by using drugs to moderate his Testosterone levels he could compete as a female weightlifter.

Those old enough will remember the Soviet beauties Irina and her “Sister” Tamara who dominated in “female athletics” in the early 1960s, both ending competition abruptly when the IOC introduced on-site sex testing for female athletes.

Then there is Castor Semenya from the Republic of South Africa, who gets results metres better than all other females in long sprint events.

Back to “Gav” who, alas, recently had a blanket suppression order lifted that prevented his naming as a driver who crashed his car near Queenstown, seriously injuring a visiting Australian couple and who is now being publicly questioned as to the “fairness” of his entering ladies weightlifting events after a history of rather ordinary performance records as a bloke competing against blokes.

Oh dear, it was once so simple: one either stood or sat down to pee and blokes could take a slash in greater numbers using urinals, as opposed to sheilas needing to sit down. Although recent times have seen some bold sheilas using the underused sit down facilities in segregated-by-signage, “Mens” facilities at the intermission times of large events, to avoid the queue at their designated facility struggling to cope in the limited time available.

The answer could be simple for those who understand that in some instances males enjoy certain advantages in tasks that utilise core body strength and higher performing muscle activity that has seen men and women competing separately in almost all competitions.

Totally ironic; the current Woke-inspired crusade against firearms being a noted exception in competition, along with Equestrian and Bridge.

Another little bit of irony: Samoan society has a long established tradition of males being raised and living as Fa’afafine; males identifying as female in dress and culture. However, afaik there is no participation problems around them competing as females.

My suggested solution for this problem, introduce a third class for the confused  whatever:
 – Female
 – Male
 -Your Choice.

As for Gavin, just take a long look at the pictorial record of the recent Podium ceremony, the body language of the Second and Third placed athletes said so much, and it might be revealing to see how Fourth placed was expressing herself out of shot.

I sincerely doubt she was rapturously applauding either.