South African unions and political organisations have criticised the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) following controversy around athlete Caster Semenya’s gender verification test.
Semenya’s presence at the World Athletics Championship resulted in a request for a gender verification test by the IAAF. The scrutiny increased after she won the women’s 800m on Wednesday.
IAAF general secretary Pierre Weiss said an investigation into Semenya’s gender was under way in both South Africa and Berlin.
He said the IAAF gave the 18 year old the benefit of the doubt and allowed her to compete but if the investigation proved she was not female the result of the race would be withdrawn.
The African National Congress on Thursday leapt to the defence of Semenya, saying she was the country’s ”golden girl” and a role model for young athletes.
”We condemn the motives of those who have made it their business to question her gender due to her physique and running style. Such comments can only serve to portray women as being weak,” the ANC said in a statement.
”Caster is not the only woman athlete with a masculine build and the International Association of Athletics Federation should know better.”
Semenya clocked 1 minute, 55,45 seconds for the year’s fastest time and a personal best by more than a second.
A group of doctors, including an endocrinologist, a gynaecologist, an internal medicine expert, an expert on gender and a psychologist have started the gender test but the results may not be known for days, if not weeks.
”Racism of the highest order”
”This smacks of racism of the highest order. It represents a mentality of conforming feminine outlook within the white race,” the Young Communist League said in a statement on Thursday.
”The [Venus and Serena] Williams sisters were never subjected to such public humiliation as is done by the international athletic body. Is it because they are of American descent?” read the statement.
The controversy also drew an angry reaction from the ANC Youth League, which said all South Africans were behind Semenya.
Her improved performance this year raised alarms with athletic officials. But the South African Football Players Union (SAFPU) saw ulterior motives.
”Why does IAAF only choose Semenya out of all the ladies at the Championships? It shows that these imperialist countries can’t afford to accept the talent that Africa as a continent has,” it said, adding that some states were pushing ”their racist agenda” against South Africa.
”The athletics federation must not allow to be used [sic] by countries like Australia to push their racist agenda against South Africa,” read the SAFPU statement.
SAFPU has singled out Australia for criticism because it claims the country has been ”anti-South Africa” after Fifa awarded the 2010 World Cup to South Africa.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) also criticised the IAAF while praising Semenya.
”Your country is very proud of your historic achievement, all the more remarkable given that you come from a poor rural community in Limpopo with few facilities for sport,” said Cosatu in a statement.
”Cosatu rejects with contempt the attempts by those who tried to undermine her success by raising bogus and groundless queries about her gender.”
The teenager appeared to be unfazed by the international attention on her gender. Semenya had been scheduled to give a telephone interview to Talk Radio 702 but went training instead.
”Who can blame her? She is on top of the world right now,” said a 702 host. A reporter from the station said she had spoken to Semenya, describing her as really upbeat and quoted her as saying her critics can ”go to hell”. — Sapa, Reuters