Photos of TP mazembe Women cause stir online as netizens react

Congolese side TP Mazembe FC Women caused a stir online for the better part of Wednesday after their photos were shared.

The internet, especially X (formerly Twitter), went into a frenzy when photos of some players with masculine features sparked mixed reactions among netizens.

One player, in particular, caught attention for having a beard on her chin—a trait typically associated with men—while others appeared muscular.

Elio Nduwayezu was in disbelief. “Do you expect us to believe these are women?” she asked.

IsraeLITE shared the same concern. “This can’t be real. How is it even possible that these are women?”

Chikezie Onwuchekwa struggled to process what he saw. “These are not women in the strictest sense of the word! I can’t understand what I’m looking at,” he posted.

In another post by SIKA OFFICIAL, fans continued to share their thoughts. “They look like they’ve lost all their estrogen,” Capt Kme remarked.

KallyXtra was astonished by the players' testosterone levels. “The testosterone in these photos is unreal.”

Nana Bamfi, on her part, chose restraint. “If I speak, Interpol will come for me.” Le Chouchou suspected ulterior motives behind the photos' circulation.

“Apart from fueling racism, what’s the point of this post?”

Yve_Mensah, meanwhile, compared African women's football to European women's football. “African women’s football is just bad. They all act like men. In Western teams, their women look feminine while playing. Why can’t Black women be the same?”

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Mpamba 1961 called for stricter regulations. “Testosterone level tests should be mandatory in female competitions.”

But why do some women display masculine features? Mozzart Sport explored some possible explanations.

The most common cause is hirsutism, a condition linked to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which results in excess testosterone and heightened sensitivity to the hormone, leading to male-pattern hair growth. Another possible cause is genetics. Variations in the chromosomal makeup of women, who typically have two X chromosomes (XX), can sometimes result in masculine traits.

TP Mazembe have already qualified for CAF Women’s Champions League semis and will play Edo Queens of Nigeria on Tuesday.

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