Caster Semenya: ASA to appear before Parliament, following DA request

This past Monday I wrote to the Chairperson of the Sports and Recreation Portfolio Committee, Mr Butuana Komphela, requesting that Athletics South Africa (ASA) appear before the Committee in order to explain its role in the debacle that has resulted in one of South Africa's premier athletes having her privacy invaded and her Constitutional right to dignity violated.

Today, after discussions with the Chair, he has agreed to the DA's request and, pending scheduling, will aim to call ASA before the committee in the next two weeks.

The DA's letter comprised the following request:

"I would like to request that Athletics South Africa, as a matter of urgency, appear before the National Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation to explain their role - or lack thereof - in the Caster Semenya debacle, and the numerous consequences that have emanated from it."

There can be little doubt that ASA has a case to answer for, from its failure to properly protect the interests of Caster Semenya to the appalling manner in which it has failed to fully disclose its role in her testing and the amount of information it knew ahead of the IAAF's cold and callous public announcement towards the beginning of this month.

It also needs to explain whether or not it undertook its own tests on Semenya, whether it did so openly and transparently, what it did with the results and whether it did everything in its power to keep Caster Semenya herself informed and her privacy protected and upheld.

Reports today suggest that, if indeed ASA did act to test her sex, they did so in a manner which can only be described as grossly humiliating and devoid of empathy or understanding.

The DA will ensure that all these questions are put to ASA, and in particular to its president Leonard Chuene, whom we feel has a great deal to answer for as the person ultimately responsible for ASA and the decisions it has made.

Statement issued by Donald Lee, MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of sport and recreation, September 16 2009

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