South African president defends runner's medal, no matter what gender tests say

(NECN: Pretoria, South Africa) – Looking relaxed, but shy and awkward under the glare of media attention, South African runner Caster Semenya returned home on Tuesday amid questions about her gender after her stunning 800-meter win at the world championships. Later in the day, South African President Jacob Zuma greeted her and fellow athletes at the presidential guest house in Pretoria. Addressing gathered journalists, Zuma said South Africa’s minister of sport and recreation has written to the IAAF (International Amateur Athletics Federation) to express “our disappointment and the manner in which the body has dealt with the matter.” “We extend our support to Miss Semenya and her family during this difficult period”, he said. Then, asked what he would do if the IAAF ruled to revoke the medal, he said, “they’re not going to remove the gold medal. She won it. So that question does not arise.” Semenya also addressed journalists for the first time since arriving back in South Africa saying; “it’s pretty good to win the gold medal and bring it home.” She said she had taken the lead 400 meters from the end of the race and had celebrated for the last 200 meters. She is not accused of trying to cheat, but of perhaps unknowingly having a medical condition that blurs her gender and gives her an unfair advantage. South Africans have embraced her achievement despite the questions. The IAAF, track and field’s governing body, will decide Semenya’s case according to whether her “conditions … accord no advantage over other females” after consulting a gynecologist, an endocrinologist, a psychologist, an internal medicine specialist and a gender expert.