South Africa athletics officials "humiliate" Semenya: report

Reuters September 17, 2009, 10:05 am

Runner Caster Semenya was subjected to humiliating tests in South Africa even before a gender row erupted over her world championship victory last month, a South African newspaper reported.

South African athletics officials have accused the IAAF, athletics' world governing body, of creating controversy by ordering gender tests on Semenya, who crushed opponents in the women's 800 meters at the world championships in Berlin.

"The tests took almost two hours and Semenya became frustrated and even angry over the humiliating nature of the tests," Afrikaans daily Beeld quoted Athletics South Africa's (ASA) former head coach Wilfred Daniels as saying of the tests carried out in South Africa.

Beeld said Semenya was "bitterly upset" when photographs of her private parts were taken during the examination, where a team doctor was present.

"Her feet were in stirrups when the photographs were taken," Daniels said.

ASA President Leonard Chuene told Reuters he could not comment on the Beeld report because he had not seen it. He declined to say whether ASA officials had conducted a gender test on Semenya before the Berlin championships.

No decision is expected until late November but the IAAF has declined to confirm a report last week in Australia's Daily Telegraph newspaper which said she had both male and female sexual characteristics.

Semenya was led to believe she would undergo drug tests in South Africa, Beeld said.

Semenya called and sent text messages to friends from the hospital to tell them about her ordeal, the newspaper said.

Some South Africans have accused the IAAF of racism for ordering the gender tests on Semenya, saying her broad shoulders and imposing musculature were common in women's athletics.

FOCUS ON TRAINING

Retired American track and field star Carl Lewis blamed ASA officials for Semenya's predicament, saying they had failed to protect her and deal with the issue.

"To put it out in front of the world like that, I am very disappointed in them because I feel that it is unfair to her," he said during a visit to Tel Aviv this week. "Now, for the rest of her life she'll be marked as 'the one'."

Semenya has said she is focusing on training, a local radio station reported Wednesday.

"She wants to avoid public scrutiny and instead focus on her training," said Talk Radio 702.

"She refused to be recorded, saying her deep voice has been used by the media to fuel the gender controversy."

South African President Jacob Zuma has decried the invasion of Semenya's privacy and what he called the violation of her rights.

Daniels resigned last month over the way the Semenya matter has been handled by ASA.

"Do you think anybody can recover from the emotional hurt and humiliation she has undergone? What do you think will go through her head when she walks out on an athletics track after all her intimate details have been sent out to the world?"

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Thando 04:00pm Friday 18th September 2009 EST Report Abuse
I am pretty sure that majority of us who have been posting comments here have known Caster for nothing more than a couple of months, and thius Joey who are we to jugde her what sex she is after all the years she has known herself to be a female?
Leila 03:53pm Friday 18th September 2009 EST Report Abuse
Illy, it’s ironic how you ask people to get their facts right when you're clearly being the ignorant one here by stereotyping the black community. I believe there's a more intelligent way of holding a debate without racially profiling others using your limited reasoning skills.
Thando 03:52pm Friday 18th September 2009 EST Report Abuse
Vince p, I respect your opinion, but then she did not chose to be who she is.It is speculated that SA officials knew of her condition should she then have raced as a male?, ...and say if she won or lost would questions have been raised
Joey 03:47pm Friday 18th September 2009 EST Report Abuse
this is not a racism issue, is he\she male or female,? or more of one than the other. even alot of my friends seem to think shes more male than female. Even in appearance , it stems towards male. Im not racist.
marmotte 03:42pm Friday 18th September 2009 EST Report Abuse
This is a violation of human rights. She must have felt like she was raped with official blessing. Nothing justifies this kind of treatment. These tests are so invasive it is beyond believe. Tragic what happened to that girl.
vince p 03:38pm Friday 18th September 2009 EST Report Abuse
Theres always two different opinions in this situation saddly one has to feel for he / she for the way they have exposed he / her. The only people to blame are the race officials coaches alike for letting him / her race either male or female. I feel that they have used him / her to set an example of ...
Thando 03:37pm Friday 18th September 2009 EST Report Abuse
THANKYOU Genvieve, keep up the good work.
lozza 03:33pm Friday 18th September 2009 EST Report Abuse
The South African Athletics body is completely to blame. They knew before the championships that there were issues with Semenya, but the lure of gold convinced them to put her welfare second and try and get away with it. Now they are crying racism to deflect criticism from themselves. Discrace ...
chris 03:32pm Friday 18th September 2009 EST Report Abuse
BuzLiz you are just as bad referring to her as she/he. She definately identifies as female as her birth certificate would say. How are the laws governing gender written? I have a penis so I believe I am Male. If I did not have one I would likely believe whole heartedly I was female. Sure it ...
Osawaru 03:30pm Friday 18th September 2009 EST Report Abuse
Osawaru The truth is that Semenya did not cheat. She did not ingest testosterone analogue. She was created that way. She was brought up as a female. I also believe she has external sexual features of a female. The only issue is that her level of testosterone is above what is generally accepted as n ...