South African Athletics Chief Admits Lying About Semenya Tests

This comes as no surprise: South Africa's top athletics official finally admits a gender verification test was done on Caster Semenya before last month's World Athletics Championships in Berlin .

"Tests were done on August 7, at the recommendation of the association's doctor, we don't know the results yet,"  Athletics South Africa president Leonard Chuene told the AFP.  Chuene also "apologized" for initially denying knowledge of the test and adds: "If we did not allow the girl to run, we would have deprived her of a medal and suggested that she is not normal."

The 18-year-old University of Pretoria athlete has been the subject of a gender controversy since winning the 800m race in record time at the IAAF games. The results of complex gender tests were leaked last week that reveal she is intersexed with internal testes and no uterus or ovaries. Semenya has gone into hiding and is reportedly receiving trauma counseling and is on suicide watch.

IAAF sources have said Athletics SA was "well aware" of Semenya's medical condition. Ten days ago, the head track coach resigned after he admitted deliberately misleading Semenya and lying to her about the purpose of the tests. Chuene says he will resist calls for his resignation because that is "tantamount to running away."

You keep telling yourself that, Len. It's become very obvious that ASA was more concerned about "depriving" themselves of a medal and less concerned about this girl's well-being.

R20's Coverage on Caster Semenya ...
Semenya In Trauma Counseling After Tests Leaked [R20]
Semenya Withdraws from Race After Intersex Reports [R20]
SA Sprinter Caster Semenya Gets Makeover [R20]
"Elevated Testosterone" Levels in Caster Semenya [R20]
Gender Testing Ordered for Gold Medalist Semenya [R20]
Report: Semenya Intersex, Internal Testes, No Ovaries [R20]

Comments

[Ravenback]

I just hope that one day Caster can find peace in life. I hope Caster gets all the help that's needed.

[Chris Cruz]

This is such a sad story and unfortunately it just grows worse by the day. The SA govt and athletics cared more about medals and should have cared about the health and welfare of this young lady. Shame.

[Pushkin]

South African sports minister should be removed-who can trust anything from ZA sport now. The whole thing is a sad episode from a country who has slipped into more or less chaotic lack of awareness of the real world in sport and medicine.

[Pieter Vanderhoeven]

South African sports and government are just shameless. This has been a very sad debacle and it is turning out they knew this along and hid from Caster. The ASA chief must resign!

[Isis]

Yep, it just gets worse as it goes along and more details are revealed. My prayers continue to Caster.....

[Anthony in Nashville]

Okay, so the official has been busted for lying, which many people suspected all along.

Are people putting him on blast saying that Semenya should not have been allowed to compete in the first place? That is the only way I can see she could have avoided any controversy.

[DONALD]

The official and the coach both LIED and then the Country got involved and blamed the IAAF and played the race card and also LIED. All along they had themself lied and tricked Semenya into a gender test weeks before the championships.

They knew there was a problem and yet it was all about the win and a medal and not the person.

Shame on them all.

[Kendrick]

After decades of struggle against apartheid, these black South African officials are becoming an embarrassment. Denying HIV causes AIDS, using herbal remedies to "cure" HIV first come to mind.Now the head of athletics claims he didnt know about the gender test and the coach lies and tells Semenya it was a simple doping test. Oh and blame the controversy now on racism to get everyone about riled up.

Shame the beloved country!

Please do not be seduced by the example of Jamaica!!! Do not dope up these athletes to win at all costs! Do not lie to them about their bodies!!!

[CC d'Afrique du Sud]

well said Kendric & Cruz...

sad STATE of affairs. very sad. will take some time for this to blow over but i know from personal experience it gon be a LONG long time before she can get to terms with all this...

in my prayers always.