Sport
can, at times, disappoint you in the way that certain individuals are
treated as they strive to reach the top and achieve their dreams.
Sadly,
women's football star Genoveva Anonma has an appalling story to tell of
the way she was treated as a developing player in the game.
The
Equatorial Guinea striker, who currently plays for German side Turbine
Potsdam, is considered one of the best players in African women's
football.
But she has told the BBC about the shocking way she has been treated in the game in a heartbreaking interview.
It all came
following her outstanding performance for her country at the 2008
African Women's Championship when she scored the winning goal against
Nigeria to secure the title.
After accusations from rival teams of
her being a man, the Confederation of African Football subjected her to
a humiliating situation."They asked me to take all my clothes off in front of officials from CAF and the Equatorial Guinea team," she told the BBC in their interview with her.
"I was really upset, my morale was low and I was crying. It was totally humiliating, but over time I have got over it."
However,
the issues would not go away. After the 2010 African Championship,
Nigeria, along with South Africa and Ghana, accused Guinea of having
three men in their team: sisters Salimata and Bilguisa Simpore, as well
as her.
"You only need to
have physical contact with them on the pitch to know this [that they are
men]," said Ghana defender Diana Amkomah at the time.
Anonma
was forced to refute the allegations. "These accusations come because I
am fast and strong, but I know that I am definitely a woman.
"I
was hoping they would call me to tell me they were taking me to
hospital to do tests, but they never did. They did nothing to me. It was
just down to me alone to defend myself, to state that I am not a man, I
am a woman."
According to the BBC's feature piece,
Anonma's biggest frustration remains that she has never been permitted
to undergo medical gender testing to silencing her doubters.