ANC YOUTH LEAGUE WELCOMES TEAM SOUTH AFRICA, THE TWO GOLD MEDALISTS AND SILVER MEDALLIST BACK TO SA:

The African National Congress Youth League welcomes Team South Africa from the IAAF World Championships back to South Africa. We find it suitable to celebrate our athletes for representing our country in an excellent and inspirational way. We are proud of Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, Khotso Mokoena and most importantly Mokgadi Caster Semenya for sterling performance despite attempts to demoralise and humiliate Team SA at the World Championships. We would also want to say thank you to all athletes for representing South Africa at the World Championships.

CASTER SEMENYA

The ANC YL earlier met with Athletes South Africa President and will meet with the entire leadership of Athletes in South Africa to engage in a vigorous campaign to demand an unconditional apology from IAAF, and those responsible for attempts to humiliate not only Caster Semenya, but all South Africans. It is our strong conviction that Athletics South Africa should consider pulling out of IAAF if those responsible for the humiliation are not taken to task. There are various other competitions and structures, which South Africa can participate on if IAAF continues to undermine and humiliate our athletes.

The ANC YL appreciates the resoluteness and diligence of Athletics South Africa (ASA) leadership in handling the whole issue. We further agree with the decision of ASA President Leonard Chuene for withdrawing for IAAF Board until the whole issue is handled. The ANC YL will be working very closely with the leadership of ASA to promote youth participation in sports, particularly in rural areas so that we can continue to produce as many Khotso Mokoenas, Caster Semenyas, Mbulaeni Mulaudzis as possible. We will lobby government to intensify investment into sporting infrastructure and facilities in all rural areas to give more young people opportunities to participate in sports.

TOKEN OF APPRECIATION

As a token of appreciation and saying thank you to the triumphant athletes, the ANC YL will be giving further prizes to the IAAF World Championships successful medallists:

Mokgadi Caster Semenya: R60 000
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi: R40 000
Khotso Mokoena: R25 000

The ANC YL will give out these prizes to the athletes for representing South Africa in a very excellent way and call upon the corporate sector and private individuals to make further contributions and better the lives of our athletes.

Statement issued by the ANC Youth League, August 25 2009

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter