Tamara Press at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, where she won discus and shot put goldA 1959 report in The Times noted the large number of records shattered by female athletes during the year with “performances of almost masculine ability”. As the Press sisters notched victory after victory, many critics decided that there was no need for the qualifier. Tamara and Irina Press set two dozen world records between them and were the first sisters to claim gold medals at the same summer Olympic Games, but their athletic prowess and brawny appearances led some to nickname the Soviet pair the “Press brothers”. SponsoredIn a climate of suspicion accentuated by Cold War rivalry, the International Amateur Athletic Federation introduced on-site sex verification in 1966 for women competing in the European championships in Budapest. Previously, female athletes were required to produce doctors’

Source: The Times May 06, 2021 15:56 UTC