I didn't know that the ASA had gone through the sex test process already. If this is true, why do they keep forwarding the argument that you can just ask her parents or her roommates? Why didn't they just say, check out the test results - we've go it covered.
I heard the main dude from the ASA on the radio claiming that their only remit was to produce world-cla** athletes. He said that when a child is presented to them as a girl, they just accept that. He claimed that it is not their job to question a child's sex.
I totally agree that Semenya has been treated like shit because of the public nature of the enquiry. However, it's not so easy to see who's fault that is. Obviously the media blew it up because it's an interesting story - but that's their job.
The IAAF president (who, for people who are interested in skin colour, is a black man), said...
"I deeply regret that confidentiality was breached in this case and that the IAAF were forced into a position of having to confirm that gender testing was being carried out on this young athlete,"
I think the interesting part is where he says 'forced into a position'. What are they supposed to do when someone makes a complaint? - their rules state that they have to investigate. You could argue that the whole thing could have been done more discretely, but that's not easy when you have a free press.
One thing is clear - for the ASA (and now the ANC) to start talking about racism, chauvinism and sexism is a joke. Where is the evidence of that? I heard on the radio this morning that the ANC are going to be appealing the UN to have the IAAF sanctioned under civil rights abuse charges.
