News and events

Semenya's privacy to be respected

Chris Bathembu

Share |

20 November 2009

South African athlete Caster Semenya's gender test results will not be publicly revealed, and the 800 metres women's world champion will keep the gold medal she won at the World Championships in Berlin in August.

This follows discussions between South Africa's Department of Sports and Recreation and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), where it was agreed that whatever scientific tests were conducted legally in terms of IAAF regulations would be treated as a confidential matter between patient and doctor.

"As such there will be no public announcement of what the panel of scientists has found," the department said in a statement on Thursday.

"We urge all South Africans and other people to respect this professional, ethical and moral way of doing things."

The department said the implications of the scientific findings on Semenya's health and life going forward would be analysed by the athlete, and she would make her own decision on her future.

The department asked the IAAF to apologise for the way in which the Semenya saga was handled.

The federation responded to the request by saying: "It is deeply regrettable that information of a confidential nature entered the public domain." The IAAF is adamant that the public discourse did not originate with them.

The 18-year-old Semenya shot to fame after wining the 800m title, but her triumph was dashed when news broke that the IAAF had performed gender tests on the athlete.

The move sparked outrage and unleashed a political storm in South Africa, and the IAAF was accused of violating Semenya's privacy.

One of the casualties of the debacle was Athletics South Africa president Leonard Chuene, who was suspended. He admitted to having lied about tests being conducted on Semenya before she left for Berlin.

The South African Sports Commission and Olympics Committee (Sascoc) later suspended the entire ASA board for the manner in which they had handled the issue.

Sascoc has in the meantime appointed one of its members, Ray Mali, to get Athletics South Africa's house in order.

Source: BuaNews



	Women's 800 metre gold medalist Caster Semenya, along with men's 800m gold medalist Mbulaeni Mulaudzi and long jump silver medalist Kgotso Mokoena, is congratulated by President Jacob Zuma on returning from the 2009 World Championships in Berlin (Photo: GCIS)