South Africa’s athletics boss Leonard Chuene kept his job after a meeting of the sports’ governing council on Thursday despite growing calls for his resignation over his handling of a gender test controversy.
Chuene has admitted that he lied about knowledge of a gender test done on runner Caster Semenya her before her gold in the women’s 800m at the IAAF Championships in Berlin last month.
But Athletics South Africa’s council voiced confidence in Chuene, despite the announcement one day earlier that the country’s Olympics committee will investigate the controversy.
”The meeting unanimously expressed confidence in the current ASA leadership,” spokesperson Chris Britz told reporters.
”It also resolved that ASA will participate and fully cooperate in any statutory commission of enquiry that be instituted on this matter”.
Local media reported on Thursday that Semenya has begun a legal battle to find out the details of the tests conducted for the International Association of Athletics Federations.
The Star newspaper reported that lawyers have taken on her case pro bono to win access to her medical records and to determine how confidential files were leaked to the media.
Leaked test results said Semenya was a hermaphrodite, sparking further anger from the South African public and government, who have rallied behind the athlete. – AFP
