The Times.co.za: Athletics SA president Leonard Chuene, who has come under fire for not protecting Semenya from the media storm about her gender, claimed until late yesterday that his organisation knew nothing about the testing.
The Times has learned that the doctor for the South African athletics team, Harold Adams, and a gynaecologist, a psychologist and an expert on gender, have been “in direct contact” with the IAAF.
“Dr Harold Adams is also a member of the IAAF medical commission. This is the person who has been co-ordinating on behalf of the IAAF,” our source said.
SHOOT: Chuene is calling the IAAF liars. That must mean he and Athletics SA are honest.
But a source close to the IAAF investigation, who asked not to be named, told The Times yesterday: “It is an open secret that, within South Africa, [Semenya’s] gender has been a topic of discussion for four years at least.
“But [Athletics SA] did nothing, no tests, and they entered her at the World [Athletics Championships, to be watched by] television audiences of 4-billion to 5-billion people.”
“There has been no thought whatsoever about [Semenya’s] welfare or what her future might hold now that she is a world celebrity.”
According to IAAF rules, it has “the right and obligation to investigate if the IAAF believes that women’s competitions are being contested by [other] athletes ... or teams”.
Athletics’ world governing body has maintained that it began testing Semenya after her startling performance at the African Athletic Championships, in Mauritius, in July.
Despite numerous attempts, The Times could not contact Adams.
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