SA rallies behind runner in gender storm

boring. Who cares. i two days or there abouts we will know the truth. untill then i shall reserve judgment.

I agree on the sexist thing to some extent, but they are not being racist. The whole thing has been around since the 50's. It is just extremely unprofessional the way the IAAF is carrying this out.

Funny how all this talk of colour: black/white, african/european is coming from the ANC and its "youth" league (by the way how old is Malema anyway?). Wonder who the real racists are now?

I see no problem with having victory celebrations, bring them on! but why must they be tainted by all this BS. Wouldnt it show character and really send a message to the IAAF and treat this like the storm in the tea cup that it really is.

What if the results arent favourable - what will the ANC say next? The only sure fact is that they will not do the image of SA any further favours, managing to make us out to look like the bunch of idiots they are.

Funny how little things have changed. In the 80's we had NP governments doing exactly the same thing.

And then you have the idiot with the South African athletics authority, saying it was white South Africans, that started the 'racist gender row'.

Keep politics out of sports, ****** idiots.

Its sad that people don't understand that there are more than two so called 'genders', or only two 'races', the reality is far more complex than that. Every single person is a subtle mixture of both sexes (and many 'races') and there are some who only due to birth are even more mixed. I don't say this applies to Semenya, we don't know, but my question would be that those who pass snap judgements on the subject of race or gender are not comfortable within themselves and, like religious fanatics, want to divide the world into those who are of the 'faith' and those who are not. Into only two genders, only two races, life is really easy and problems easily solved until you are personally prepared to confront reality, head on. Do you really know your own genetic makeup? When did you last check?

What has gender got to do with race?
The only race here is the one she competed in.

What if it turns out that "she is a he"? It is common international knowledge that many SA ID documents and passports are purchased and even forged.

As Paul V mentioned, how old is our intelligent youth leader Malema anyway? Does anyone know? Don't take his ID as genuine.
Just another embarrasment for South Africa, I wonder if he knows the meaning of the word.

Take the IAAF on !

I fully support the move(UN complaint) against the despicable and disgraceful IAAF actions meted out to Caster and the ASA.

According to Loenard Chuene(ASA) the IAAF lied - they never contacted ASA to begin tests in SA on Caster and now ASA refuse to play ball with the IAAF.

Former athletes says it is unheard of for an athlete(even after you test positive after a 1st dope test, for ex.) to be publicly put under the sword as was done by the IAAF to Caster! How low can an international sports federation(which are there to advance the cause of ALL athletes) go to dehumanise an athlete hours before a final! It is unheard of. The strongest possible action should be taken by the authorities to defend the 18 year old against this shameful action on the part of the IAAF.

This episode will also act as a learning curve to us all in terms of the debate around sexuality and the grey area of definitions.

All serious people should also repudiate and ignore those who will use the episode to push their own obscure agendas(like a few idiots already on this thread!).

In a report in Die Burger newspaper Chuene implied that (jealous)people from SA contacted the IAAF to stir up the trouble against Caster. Racists from all hues are also jumping on the bandwagon spitting their poison around.


@ Elisa Piccione(the Italian athlete who finished way behind Caster) - train harder to do better, read up on sexuality and then open your mouth if you want to join the debate!

@ those South Africans who thought they could stop Caster performing overseas - why don't you come clean on these pages!

from Cape Town

Like Pasta Bag said, this has been around for decades. It dates back to the cold-war era, when the communist countries were suspected of fielding athletes who were not really women. Athletes are also routinely screened (and disqualified) for excessive testosterone levels - in other words they are 'too male' (and yes, I'm sorry to say that males generally outperform females in almost every athletic discipline. Get over it.)

We're used to black South Africans playing the race card at every opportunity, but it will be interesting to see how the global community reacts to the ill-informed rantings of people like the ANC Women's League and Butana Komphela. Clearly they have no idea that testing of top-performing athletes is commonplace, or that women of African origin routinely beat their caucasian opponents in many athletic codes, especially running. Watching black arms and legs disappearing around the track is nothing new for 'European' athletes.

The rights to equality and freedom of speech were hard-won. Using them indiscriminately and inappropriately reduces them to the status of our beloved vuvuzelas - a constant background drone, signifying nothing.

Leonard Chuene said on TV that the athlete was being treated as though she was guilty until proven innocent. That is not true. Her win stands unless sex tests say otherwise. He now says that the IAAF did request ASA to conduct the tests but these were not done because the correct protocols were not followed. If Mr Chuene had used a bit of common sense and had the tests performed in advance, the athlete would not have been subjected to this humiliation. Instead, he obstinately refused, even with this athlete having had a history of queries as to her correct sex. ASA could have prevented this mess from being aired publicly.

They should test everyone entering any kind of event being A MAN OR A WOMAN. Are they creators, why should they focus in Africa Specifically, What about other poeple like Millie Jackson? I feel this is humilating us.I like them the way they are.Keep it up Semenya,

The test will be more damaging now than ever. Why, because this young girls has always live her life like a girl, and to tell her today that you are not what you are is going to destroy her completely.

Moreso, she has a female sexual organ.

The IAAF if they really wanted to do some test, that could have been done before this athlete wins the race. Now after the media bruhaha, the IAAF want to act.

If this organization claims to be fair, then they should stop embarrasing athelete, and stop being used by the media.

Roger Pacey: Yeah, ASA could have prevented this mess, but now, Chuene is trying to cover his own rear, by blaming 'white racists' in South Africa.

The man should be fired.
We dont need him, and malema, diving South Africans.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Miss Caster Semenya, a first year Sport Science student at the University of Pretoria, won the 800 m race in Berlin Germany. I was happy because she was on the verge of breaking a twenty-six year record. My joy was short-lived, however, because her victory was marred by media reports in Europe as well as in South Africa that they were going to run gender and sex tests on her because she could not run the way she did if she were a woman.

To think that this is spearheaded by IAAF, a world athletic body that is supposed to be enlightened on these issues, in 2009---nine years well into millennium--- makes me flummoxed beyond belief. I would have thought the old stereotypes about women being weak both physically were the sentiments that belonged to the bygone era. I was extremely disappointed that Semenya had to undergo such humiliation and assault in her person because she had no choice but to accede to this kind of balderdash. It is reasonably suspected that this was intended to dampen her spirit and make her less enthusiastic in this important athletic meeting.

The IAAF should be taken to task because it ought to have thought about its actions---especially---when they are dealing with an 18 year old adolescent. Someone should prescribe a reading of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 signed by most UN member states of which Deutschland is a member. Gender tests in the circumstances of the present case seek to give credence to archaic stereotypes about women that they are unable run as good as men can. Women are weak. Women are only capable of doing certain things and once they exceed expectations of people who hold backward views then gender or sex tests ought to be done what a reactionary way of doing things. Accordingly, I associate myself with the ANC when it holds that, "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”. I would like to congratulate our 'golden girl' from Limpopo for focusing on the race. She was never swayed by these negative comments emanating from deutsche media and carried on as if nothing happened. Miss Semenya has made me to be a proud South African again. Ke lebowa Modimo for your strength both physically and emotionally.

IAAF must answer for their stupidity!

We must not rest till IAAF satisfactorily explain why they had to dehumanise our Caster! As Tim Noakes said on tv - "Some countries are upset on losing medals ..." Do not let up the pressure on the IAAF.

Viva Khotso !

Don't worry about the haters on this thread - they are punching in the air.

@ Sinudeity @gmail.com What do you mean "we". You are a typical whinger - finding fault with everything to do with the New SA. There are lot's of you here spitting poison around. But you're pissing in the wind man - a man without a country!


from Cape Town

- I don't think there are racist motives here, what's the motivation?
- The problem is the short-sighted pomposity of the IAAF officials. The rules allow for this kind of check to be carried out. If the rules are outdated, obnoxious and inadequate there are mechanisms that can be put in place to change them. In the meantime they stand, likeable or not.
- Heads should roll because of the crass insensitivity and the lack of privacy regarding the tests. Also the journalist that brought this to light should be tarred and feathered. Again, I don't think he was racist, he probably did it for personal gain as most journalists do. Some IAAF heads might roll but the journalist's, I doubt it.
- In the light of all this, all the infantile playing of the race card is only serving to embarrass the exponents who should know better.
- "Just because she is black and she surpassed her European competitors, there is all this uproar," Khompela dear, you are really not looking good here. These are world championships. I see athletes from every continent and race. Get off this "european" thing.
- "It would not be like that if it were some young girl from Europe," Chuene, you are coming through as barmy as the rest. These tests have been done before and on whites. Blaming white south african, while an Australian journo brought this to light really makes you look like a cactus in a rose garden.
- If Malema gets involved here, instant c-ck-up.
All-in-all, I deplore what's happened despite some obscure justification under the rules. Caster should consider legal action against the IAAF, not for the test but for their sheer insensitivity. She should go against the pathetic journo as well.
Other than that, she should be overly congratulated on her win and recieved by all as a champion to be proud of.
Personally, I truly believe she's a girl and talking about "hard" features, Silvester Stallone in a wig would have been less frightening than some of the estern european female competitors of the 70's and they were whiete and tested. Lighten up, Mr. Chuebe.

This is a sexist issue not a racist issue! Why do we Africans use any excuse we can to cry racism...?!

The world is always trying to undermine South African sports.
It has really been handled badly by the IAAF. White South Africans are quick to object when Bakkies is treated unfairly but not when a black woman is.
I agree this whole thing is rascist and sexist

feppie: What do you mean, lots of 'you'?

Im patriotic to South Africa.
You are patriotic to the ruling party.

If you cant handle criticism, then, leave for some or other police-state, or Zimbabwe, cause, in a free country, I can say what I want to.

Suck it.

Who cares?

Sports obsessed South Africans, who claim to be filled with pride and patriotism because an individual, or a team, wearing the colours of the country have triumphed should reflect on the fact that their country also triumphs in crime and murder stastistics, that HIV rates of infection and death are amongst the highest in the world and that corruption and bigotry are rife.

South Africa wins the gold medal of shame in many disciplines, begin tackling those and then perhaps you'll fell real pride.

To Howard..I agree!...I can't believe this is still a story...I'm sick of it...SA gets a gold medal for blowing hot air on non issues such as this one...they are welcoming her at the airport...omg!!! i wish they could put the same amount of energy behind corruption, appalling level of education and tutti quanti

@Roger Pacey: "the athlete was being treated as though she was guilty until proven innocent. That is not true." Utter rubbish. No athlete was ever treated like this for as long as I can remember-unless found guilty. The whole world(except Australia) expressed disgust at her being treated like a crook for something that would have otherwise been confidential routine to a person being given the benefit of the doubt.

Howard and Berry: What the hell?!! We won gold guys, all of us, don't take that away from us, we deserve to celebrate, stop moaning and have a life, geeez! This country is not going down in racism, crime stats or whatever you persimists can brew, rather you say your say at the right forums (go be part of your neighbourhood watch or join the police force)but not on this african child's time to shine. Cheer up suckers!!!

If anybody has handled this badly it is Athletics South Africa. The question surrounding Caster's sex has been raised several times before, yet ASA took no definitive steps to put the question to rest; they took Caster to the World Championships in the full knowledge that the issue was going to blow up.

The simple fact is that she looks and sounds extremely masculine, and you can't blame her competitors for having doubts. It is unquestionably true that males have a physical advantage over females, and a line has to be drawn between the two gender classifications to enable fair competition in physical disciplines.

It was always inevitable that Caster would have to submit to a comprehensive gender test. Athletics South Africa should have had her tested under the supervision of the IAAF *BEFORE* the Worlds. If you want to put the blame somewhere, look no further than our own incompetent administration.

@Johncarlos Biza
As for Caster being treated badly, it's not the IAAF treating her badly - this test has to be done as a matter of fairness to her competitors, both now and in the future; it is the press who are treating her badly, and this had come about because Athletics South Africa failed to pre-empt this controversy - one which they could not help but anticipate. ASA should have protected Caster from this by having the test done as soon as there was a sniff of doubt - as there was long before now.

White people- stop taking such offense to the racist accusations, you should be used to the Malema-thinking by now. Fact of the matter is the IFAA acted in a prejudice manner, when she first enrolled in the competition- why didn't they perform the tests then? I'm sure her physical attributes didn't suddenly develop after her first win. Even after the story had been leaked to the press, it wasn't their place to confirm it. Like all fat-cats they should have said 'no comment' and kept their mouths shut. What eighteen-year old girl (black or white) wants the whole world to know she has a gynaecologists appointment scheduled? Some sensitivity please.

As for those that say this is is a non-issue, I say its a much better topic than Britney's latest house move. If you don't find it to be relevant-skip and read on...simple enough? Celebrating someone's achievement(especially South African) is exactly what we need shoved in our faces all day, who wants to hear and read about who bought what with taxpayer's money its not like they ever get prosecuted for it.

Semenya is our young black young woman whose femineity is being doubted at and questioned becouse she is now a gold medalist.

I hope they run their tests and prove themsef's wrong so that this could be handled by the judiciary system to assist her in enriching semenya's life by suing the for them for cousing the reputation of this young new gold medalist.

I support Mr. Malema's notion in this regard of his utterances that no matter they like it or not she is our home girl and thaks to the ANC youth leauge for pricing her with R60.000.00 to spend it the way she wishes.