The African continent is angry – Mandela and Zuma welcome the gold medallist
“An African village girl” turned into a legend and a symbol of pride and dignity
“Semenya” an innocent athlete at the heart of a storm of racism
The Berlin World Championships crowned her a star – others aimed to steal it from her
The runner nearly refused to accept the medal, feeling humiliated and belittled..
Experts stunned by the extraordinary sporting power of an 18-year-old girl
The story of the young South African village runner “Caster Semenya”, 18, winner of the 800m gold at the Berlin 2009 World Championships, has revived the embers of the hateful torment of racism – a phenomenon the world had left behind decades ago after burying its last strongholds in South Africa – bringing it back to mind through a “tale” that began as a passing joke, its heroine a rural gi
rl, unique and a wonder of her time, unlike other girls – the young South African Semenya, whom God granted a rare and exceptional talent and extraordinary power resembling that of “wild horses” in her astonishing running that caught the attention of experts and observers at the Berlin 2009 World Athletics Championships. This drew rising voices of doubters and those fishing in troubled waters from the ranks of “experts and the privileged elite”, who rushed in as soon as her participation in the 800m final ended and she won the gold medal,
demanding that the South African delegation have runner Semenya undergo a gender verification test, after doubts arose about her sex because of her muscular build, to make sure Semenya did not have an unfair advantage over her rivals following her sudden rise on the scene – which sparked outrage and anger among South Africans as a whole
A public welcome for the phenomenon
South African star Caster Semenya received a rousing welcome at OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg on her return home to South Africa, crowned with gold along with the rest of the victorious delegation – champions Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, winner of the 800m gold, and Godfrey Khotso Mokoena, winner of the long jump silver. Crowds surged to greet the champions, hailing the great victory for the homeland, and Semenya, who appeared overjoyed, said little more than “hello everyone” to the crowds who had waited for her for a long time in the arrivals hall outside the airport. As she heard chants of “marry me” and “Caster is hot”, the South African runner danced, sang and listened to speeches praising her. The South African people had rallied behind Semenya after the IAAF asked her to undergo a test to confirm her sex.
A reception with the nation’s leader – Mandela and Zuma
The nation’s leader, South Africa’s former president, met yesterday with runner Caster Semenya and her gold-winning teammates
Wearing shirts bearing the “Mandela Day” logo, Semenya, winner of the women’s 800m gold, along with men’s 800m champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi and the silver medallist in the long ju
mp, Godfrey Khotso Mokoena, met with Mandela in his office in Johannesburg, as confirmed by the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The Nelson Mandela Foundation said in a statement: “The three players met with Mandela, who congratulated them on their success at the World Championships.” Semenya, who won the women’s 800m gold with the fastest time of the year, said she could not wait to tell her father about the experience, as she had long wished to meet Mandela. Mokoena described the meeting as “an amazing experience”, while Mulaudzi said: “It is a great honour for me to come here and meet this great man.” The South African people had rallied behind Semenya to defend her against the injustice she suffered after the request for a test to confirm she was female. For his part, South African President Jacob Zuma, who met with the athletes after their return to the country, said in later remarks to the media that it was “wrong” to suggest that Semenya is not a woman.
A complaint to the human rights commissioner
South African officials began preparing to file a complaint with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights over the unfair demand by the IAAF that runner Semenya undergo a gender verification test, affirming that the matter amounted to “a harsh and grave disregard for rights and privacy” on the part of the IAAF. For his part, Butana Komphela, chairman of South Africa’s sports committee, said the case represented “an embarrassment of Semenya that amounted to a provocative signal from the IAAF, which diminished the value of women’s achievements in sport.”
IAAF regrets the African escalation
In turn, the IAAF confirmed in an earlier statement, as soon as the case erupted and its dramatic developments unfolded, that it regretted the allegations directed at the runner, and that tests were “still underway to determine Caster Semenya’s sex following the marked improvement in her performance in recent months.” It said it had requested that the test be conducted about four hours before the race final, and that it had asked Semenya to undergo the gender verification test again. The federation added: “Those tests do not imply any suspicion of improper conduct, but are intended to examine whether there is a medical condition that gives Semenya an unfair advantage over her competitors.” It explained: “We are aware of the sensitivity of the matter and deeply regret the allegations raised about the reasons that led to these tests being carried out.” The IAAF statement came after a storm of anger in South Africa that stirred sympathy for the 18-year-old runner, who came from nowhere to win gold with a dazzling performance, beating her best time from 2008 by eight seconds.
Semenya refuses to step up for the medal ceremony
For her part, South African runner Semenya was unhappy during the medal ceremony after the race at the Berlin World Championships, and said at her press conference that she had actually considered refusing the gold medal because of the issue. South Africa’s “The Times” newspaper quoted Leon
ard Chuene, President of the South African athletics federation, as saying that Semenya had to be convinced by him to attend the medal ceremony and receive her medal in Berlin. Chuene said: “She said she didn’t want to step onto the podium, but I told her she had to attend the ceremony.” Chuene presented the South African runner, crowned with her gold medal, during the ceremony, in which Semenya received joyous cheers from the crowd at the Berlin stadium.
The spectre of doping and cheating
It seems that the fear of dopers and cheats infiltrating world athletics lay behind the tension and edginess that coloured the work of the medical committees responsible for enforcing strict standards on participants in Berlin, starting at the airport, where arriving athletes’ luggage is subjected to intense, unseen scrutiny via sensitive equipment, along with surprise visits to champions at their accommodation and training camps. Under IAAF rules, top global stars must give the anti-doping committee a precise statement of their health and itinerary during flights, and their addresses anywhere in the world, since this committee has the right to visit at any time and any place around the globe. For all these reasons combined, the case of the poor girl “Semenya” was lumped in with the cheats’ corner, even though she is innocent – simply a gift of nature and the Creator, who shaped her into a wild young woman with rare abilities, discovered by her coaches, who honed her talent until she reached world level. It is not fair to question anyone’s biological sex without clear medical or physiological grounds,
Mandela’s youth wing proud of the achievement
The Semenya case also saw political engagement from those trying to jump on the bandwagon, with Julius Malema, president of the African National Congress Youth League, congratulating Semenya on her achievement and saying: “As Nelson Mandela did, Caster Semenya makes us very proud… and whether they like it or not, she is a woman.”
Leonard fears greatly for the runner
For his part, Leonard Chuene, President of the South African athletics federation, issued a measured warning to everyone and showed
understanding of the reasons for public anger, but called on people to be responsible in that anger. He said: “She comes from a small village, and no one should touch a girl from our country, but please let the girl practise her sport” – fearing negative sporting consequences for her from the media spotlight and attempts by some to exploit “her simplicity” and her affection for others. The South African federation began a serious effort to shield “runner Semenya” from the media onslaught pursuing her even in her quiet village..
In conclusion
In conclusion, the case that has been stirred up has no racial dimension and does not cross any red lines, especially since Berlin, with its history and heritage, is entirely innocent of any charge of being tainted by racism – the city that embraced the youth of the world within its Olympic Stadium over nine days full of enjoyment and excitement, with Berlin’s leadership and people dedicated to providing the highest standards to ensure a refined and wonderful organisation, in keeping with German traditions of excellence and
the highest professionalism in carrying out their “duties”. In general, it seems the IAAF was determined to turn the page on this affair, which was wrongly framed, given that South Africans carry “the wound” and painful history of racism and reject anyone who tries to deal with them with condescension or an unfair view – they are an educated people with a high degree of self-confidence, armed with the will and courage to overcome the impossible and look to the future with greater confidence. And here runner Semenya stands ready to repeat the success story of the retired Mozambican African runner Maria Mutola, whose story resembles the South African’s – she began playing football boldly and skilfully with the neighbourhood boys until her coach discovered her and pushed her into world athletics, where she soared in the middle-distance races until she closed that chapter in the 2007 season..
