PRETORIA, South Africa, Sept. 19, 2009
Apology Over S. African Runner's Sex Test
Track Official Says His Denials That Gender Tests Were Conducted on Caster Semenya Were "Error of Judgment"
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South Africa's Caster Semenya celebrates after winning the gold medal in the final of the Women's 800m during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Aug. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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Athletics South Africa president Leonard Chuene told reporters his constant denials of the tests, which he said he was aware of when they were done in early August, were an "error of judgment" and never meant to "deceive" the public.
South African officials repeatedly said tests were done on the 18-year-old runner only abroad, not in South Africa.
"I can no longer stand before you and say that I am not aware of gender tests conducted on Caster Semenya," Chuene said. "I felt that at the time I was acting in the best interests of Caster Semenya as a person. I believed at the time my consistent denials would help protect her."
Semenya won the 800-meter race at the world championships on Aug. 19 in Berlin in 1 minute, 55.45 seconds, finishing 2.45 seconds ahead of her closest competitor. It was the fastest time in the world this year.
The International Association of Athletics Federations ordered more tests done on the runner in Berlin, saying questions had been raised about her muscular physique and recent stunning improvement in times.
The IAAF has refused to confirm or deny Australian media reports that Semenya has both male and female characteristics, saying it is reviewing test results and will issue a decision in November on whether the athlete will be allowed to compete in women's events.
Chuene said tests had been done at a Pretoria hospital on Aug. 7 at the behest of the IAAF, adding that it was unclear whether Semenya was informed of the nature of the examinations.
Chuene said that despite medical advice and a request from the IAAF, he refused to withdraw Semenya from the race because there were no results yet from the tests.
"I was not going to stop her talent because of rumors," he said. "On what basis should I have withdrawn her? My only crime committed was to take a decision that she must run, and she won."
Chuene also accused the IAAF of violating her rights and privacy.
"The IAAF publicly revealed her name. The IAAF betrayed her. The IAAF has a lot to answer for," he said.
Chuene is returning to the IAAF board after he resigned over the handling of the matter, but Saturday's news conference is unlikely to ease tensions between the ASA and the international body.
The IAAF has said Semenya probably would keep her medal because she is not accused of cheating by trying to mask her gender.
On Saturday, Chuene repeated his claims that he saw no reason for Semenya to be tested and said he would not accept the outcome of results.
He said the ASA was not in possession of any test results and he could not confirm media reports about her gender.
Semenya, who has dropped out of sight, grew up in a poor village in northern South Africa. Her impressive performances in meets this year caught the attention of track officials.
Chuene denied that Semenya - seen as the team's best chance for a gold medal - had been "sacrificed for a medal."
He said he stays in contact with Semenya, a university student in Pretoria who is sitting for her final exams.
"It has been deeply disturbing for me to bear witness to the relentless and ongoing controversy surrounding Caster Semenya," he said. "Tell me someone who has not lied to protect a child."
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- by democracy1 September 20, 2009 9:01 AM EDT
by skeezix06 September 20, 2009 8:36 AM EDT
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First of all, no one is "attacking" Semenya. It's just that in simple fairness to the women athletes who competed and who also have rights, Semenya should not get the medal if s/he has a Y chromosome.
As to this being "news to her", that's debatable when you have both male and female genitalia.
I agree that if she has a Y chromosome, she shouldn't be allowed to race with the women atheletes. But the fact is that they had to know that there was a problem long before she ran. They CHOSE to let her run anyways, so as far as I'm concerned she gets the medal. It is THEIR mistake, not hers. She should get to keep the medal, but not be allowed to race again with the women. In fact she should get to keep the medal just for the humiliation that she has been caused.
You said that it was debatable whether it was "news to her". I thought that she would have to know because she would have a
p e n i s, but someone informed me that that may not have been the case. Not that she didn't have one, but that sometimes it is INSIDE not out. In that case, she would not have known. - Reply to this comment
- by brianbwb-2009 September 20, 2009 8:14 AM EDT
Why not? She did not use drugs, so she has a natural advantage.
Would you say that Usain Bolt should not be allowed to run because his genetics gave him longer legs than most sprinters? Or that Yao Ming's genetic height advantage should disqualify him? Or Ian Thorpe's large feet?
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Now THAT ... is a compelling argument. Good one! - Reply to this comment
- There vis a liar born every minute...
- Reply to this comment
- I've heard the political and physiological issues here.
Either way, Caster should not be on the track with the advantage of 3 times the normal testoserone as anyone else he/she would race against.
XX or XY or XXY or XYY, whatever, she has a chemistry that is not allowed for everyone on the track. - Reply to this comment
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- Why not? She did not use drugs, so she has a natural advantage.
Would you say that Usain Bolt should not be allowed to run because his genetics gave him longer legs than most sprinters? Or that Yao Ming's genetic height advantage should disqualify him? Or Ian Thorpe's large feet?
- by brianbwb-2009 September 20, 2009 8:14 AM EDT
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Brian, it was a race for women ONLY because physically men do have certain advantages over women. If s/he has a Y chromosome, then s/he is not a woman, since women never have Y chromosomes. By your logic ANY man should be able to compete in the women's race. Please, that is NOT the same as the examples you gave, not by a long shot.
- Why not? She did not use drugs, so she has a natural advantage.
- The sad part of all of this? This girl has had something so intimately private aired for the entire world to know. I am not sure when we starting thinking that that other peoples business was ours to know. This has no place in the public arena and should have been kept private.
- Reply to this comment
- its not a she and its not a he. its an it. human but an is. so if it wants to compete let it compete in mens events.
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- #If her chromosome makeup isn't strictly female (XX), then she shouldn't get the medal#
What is the basis for this argument.Who are you to decide on the sex of a person based on their chromosome makeup.
Thank you by saturn05 and erasmus111 for your wisdom. - Reply to this comment
- Only if this person shows pure male chromosomes should they be banned for running as a woman. He she is was born with both, she has a right to choose how she led her life, as a woman or a man. I would not htink she can switch back and forth at will, but if she was raised and considers herself a female, then leave her alone. If this person was raised as a male, then he should be considered a male for all purposes. Let the medical tests decide, not ignorant human beliefs.
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- Any Y chromosome would show that s/he is genetically male. Women are XX, men are XY, so even an XXY chromosome makeup (rare, but not impossible) would show her to be male.
Why do I come to that conclusion since you could say that part of her chromosome is XX? Easy: because while men have X chromosomes, women NEVER have Y chromosomes.
- Any Y chromosome would show that s/he is genetically male. Women are XX, men are XY, so even an XXY chromosome makeup (rare, but not impossible) would show her to be male.
- by spiritwalk September 19, 2009 5:48 PM EDT
That is not simple, that is simple minded. Violating the rules is violating the rules, whether you find out before or after. If she/he is not a legitimate contender, then no medal, no matter when it is discovered.
Let's put it this way. Unless they are all freakin' brain dead, then they should have picked up on the fact that she looked and sounded like a guy LONG before she ran. Therefore, the test should have been done LONG before she ran. For whatever reason they didn't, that wasn't her fault. They let her run, she won, she gets the medal. - Reply to this comment
- It's quite simple. If the results came in before she ran, she should not get the medal. If the results came in after she ran, she should keep the medal.
- Reply to this comment
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- That is not simple, that is simple minded. Violating the rules is violating the rules, whether you find out before or after. If she/he is not a legitimate contender, then no medal, no matter when it is discovered.
- That is not simple, that is simple minded. Violating the rules is violating the rules, whether you find out before or after. If she/he is not a legitimate contender, then no medal, no matter when it is discovered.
- "...his constant denials of the tests, which he said he was aware of when they were done in early August, were an "error of judgment" and never meant to "deceive" the public.
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Since when are lies meant to do other than deceive?
Sheesh. - Reply to this comment
- If she has both male and female sex organs then she can choose to be either a male or a female. She did not ask to be born that way. Quit bashing her. She has feelings like any other person.
I have seen so called "women" that are a lot more muscular and manly than her. Have you never seen woman bodybuilders?
Finally she accomplishes something to make her feel good about herself and now this garbage.
The world is turning into a bunch of cruel evil people.
You know the old saying, attack someone for being "handicapped" or "not like everyone else" and God will get you. - Reply to this comment
- the headline is misleading. he is not apologizing for the test, but for claiming that he didn't know about the test.
given that there were legitimate concerns about the runner's gender, the tests were appropriate, and should have been conducted. athletes have to submit to drug tests all the time to ensure that they are not cheating; it's not unreasonable to test for gender in a circumstance such as this one. (remember the east german swimmers back in the day?) - Reply to this comment
- If her chromosome makeup isn't strictly female (XX), then she shouldn't get the medal.
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- Exactly. She has an unfair advantage that shouldn't be allowed. If she won't run with the men, let her run with the hermaphrodites. This person should definitely not be messing with female athletic records since it does a disservice to them all.
- by Phxfire September 20, 2009 1:56 AM EDT
Whether or not she has LIVED as a female is irrelevant if she has a Y chromosome because the testosterone, etc. that she would have gives her an unfair advantage over the other women (who ALSO have rights and deserve fairness). Take a basic human biology course, for crying out loud.
- Leave her alone people. I would expect this is news to her and no doubt something she is struggling with right now. By attacking her for something that she didn't cause, you identify yourselves to be cruel and unjust.
- by skeezix06 September 20, 2009 8:36 AM EDT
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First of all, no one is "attacking" Semenya. It's just that in simple fairness to the women athletes who competed and who also have rights, Semenya should not get the medal if s/he has a Y chromosome.
As to this being "news to her", that's debatable when you have both male and female genitalia.
- It's called "situational ethics"...a by-product of Humanism which this country adopted years ago. Nice stuff, huh?
- Reply to this comment
- [ "Tell me someone who has not lied to protect a child." ]
the means (the lying) is now justified due to the ends (protecting something ... he says it's the child). - Reply to this comment
