Caster Semenya, the 18-year old women's 800m world champion whose gender has been called into question in recent days, reportedly wanted to boycott her medal ceremony in protest, but was eventually convinced by the president of Athletics South Africa (ASA) to accept her gold medal. She is said to have regretted her decision.

It's another sad chapter in an increasingly uncomfortable story.

On Wednesday, Semenya dominated the field in the 800m in Berlin amid whispers that she was actually a man. She has undergone complicated gender testing (this article in London's Daily Mail newspaper explains why it's so difficult), the results of which won't be known for weeks.

Semenya grew up a tomboy but was said to have rarely encountered questions as to her gender and never on such a widespread level. Leonard Cheune, the president of ASA said today of Semenya:

"She told me: 'No one has ever said I was not a girl, but here I am not. I am not a boy. Why did you bring me here? You should have left me in my village at home.'"

Let's operate under the assumption that the rumors are false and that Semenya is what she says she is: a woman. This then becomes one of the meanest stories in recent memory, right? The rumor, borne of jealousy and masculine features, will shadow Semenya for life. The scars may never heal.

Behind the accusations, canards and snickers is a very real 18-year old girl. The fact that she's really fast doesn't mean she doesn't have feelings. I mean, it's easy to throw stones from half a world away, but imagine going into your local high school, picking out an androgynous-looking senior walking into the girls bathroom and calling her a man. Now picture the entire world doing that.

What has Semenya done to deserve this, other than drop massive amounts of time in her events? (And, as I wrote on Wednesday, don't large drops in time tend to indicate steroids rather than the presence of a Y chromosome? Is it routine for 18-year old men to drop lots of time? This vexes me.) 

I want to believe Semenya because being wrong in this situation would have ramifications beyond sports. It's one thing to speculate that Usain Bolt is doping. It's another to say that a girl is actually a boy.

This whole story stinks. Semenya should be on top of the world right now, but instead she's hiding out and having to defend herself against the most insulting of accusations. It's too late to go back, but if there was ever a time to give someone the benefit of the doubt, wouldn't Semenya deserve it right now?

No matter whether she accepted it or not, that gold medal is tainted. And no gender test is going to change that sad fact.