Semenya case: ASA president suspended

ATHLETICS NEWS:SOUTH AFRICA'S Olympic governing body has suspended the president and board of Athletics South Africa over their handling of 800 metres world champion Caster Semenya's gender verification tests.

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) announced yesterday that ASA president Leonard Chuene and the ASA board would be “suspended with immediate effect pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation and further action.

“The suspended individuals will appear before a disciplinary enquiry to answer charges of bringing ASA, the sport of athletics, SASCOC and sport in general into disrepute,” the statement said.

SASCOC said it was also considering “taking appropriate action against the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for its disregard of Ms Semenya’s rights to privacy”.

Semenya (18) destroyed the field to take the women’s 800 world title in Berlin in August in the fastest time of the year.

The IAAF had already begun a gender verification process prior to the race but Semenya was allowed to compete pending the outcome of the tests.

It was subsequently disclosed that ASA conducted gender verification tests on Semenya in South Africa before she competed in Berlin.

ASA president Leonard Chuene admitted lying about the tests, saying he had wanted to protect the athlete’s privacy.

No decision on the tests is expected until later this month but the IAAF has declined to comment on a report in Australia's Daily Telegraphnewspaper in September which said Semenya had both male and female sexual characteristics.

ASA yesterday offered the 18-year-old an unconditional apology after it emerged they were aware the IAAF had carried out gender tests on Semenya before she was allowed to compete in Berlin.

Semenya’s coach Wilfred Daniels quit over the affair and he believes yesterday’s developments have been “too little, too late”.

“It’s a sad day for South African athletics,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.