Controversial athlete Caster Semenya was duped into giving gender test
September 8th, 2009 - 6:40 pm ICT by ANILondon, Sep. 8 (ANI): South African star athlete Caster Semenya, who is in midst of a gender row, was duped into believing she was undergoing a standard doping test, her former coach Wilfred Daniels has revealed.
Sky News quoted Daniels as saying that both he and other officials from Athletics South Africa did not tell the 18-year-old that she was being tested because of queries over her gender.
“I’m so sorry for the part I played; because of my negligence she went through all that,” Daniels, who quit his post at the weekend, said.
He also said the athlete was not briefed by officials when the story made headlines around the world.
The coach, who has worked with Athletics South Africa since 1993, also revealed that he had personally apologised to Semenya for what he described as the “repulsive” handling of her case.
He said she told him that she did not blame anyone.
Semenya was ordered to undergo gender testing shortly before her victory in the women’s 800 metres at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin last month.
The sport’s ruling body, the The International Association of Athletics Federations, demanded clarification after dramatic improvements in her performance over the past year.
The controversy provoked outrage in South Africa, where Semenya was given a “heroine’s homecoming” when she returned to Johannesburg airport after her gold medal win.
The head of the ASA, Leonard Cheune, has consistently denied suggestions that the sporting body failed in its duty to protect the teenage athlete.
The results of the gender test have not yet been revealed. (ANI)
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- Semenya case: President And Board Of Athletics South Africa suspended - Nov 06, 2009
- Semenya skips African Athletics Championships, to focus on CWG - Jul 12, 2010
- S. African gender row runner Semenya set to race against women - Jul 06, 2010
- Amputee Pistorius, Semenya to compete in World Athletics - Aug 08, 2011
- Despite high male hormone levels, controversial athlete Caster Semenya is a woman: ASA - Aug 29, 2009
- Caster Semenya wins comeback race in Finland - Jul 16, 2010
- SAAF president Chuene quits over Semenya gender issue - Aug 23, 2009
- Controversial star athlete Caster Semenya talks about life amidst gender row - Nov 14, 2009
- Athletics South Africa criticises Caster Semenya hermaphrodite report - Sep 11, 2009
- Injured Semenya withdraws from CWG - Sep 29, 2010
- Caster Semenya's Fate Hangs In Balance - Jan 14, 2010
- Caster Semenya to take part in Commonwealth Games - Aug 23, 2010
Tags: african star, asa, caster, clarification, controversy, dramatic improvements, former coach, gender test, gold medal, heroine, homecoming, international association of athletics federations, johannesburg airport, midst, negligence, outrage, sky news, star athlete, teenage athlete, world athletics championships