South Africa’s top athletics official said Saturday a gender test was done on Caster Semenya before the World Athletics Championships in Berlin last month, and apologised for earlier denying knowledge of the test.

“Tests were done on August 7, at the recommendation of the association’s doctor, we don’t know the results yet,” Athletics South Africa president Leonard Chuene told a media conference here.

Chuene apologised to the South African public for initially denying knowledge of the test.

“I would like to apologise for the way I handled the manner but I did so to protect her. I would have done that even with my own child,” he said.

Chuene had maintained that no tests had been conducted on the masculine 18-year-old athlete, who has been the subject of a controversial sex row since winning a gold medal in the 800m race at the IAAF games.

A probe into her gender was announced by the sport’s governing body the IAAF shortly before the race.

“If we did not allow the girl to run, we would have deprived her of a medal and suggested that she is not normal,” Chuene told reporters.

Chuene said he could not withdraw Semenya from the Championships without any available medical evidence.

Australian newspapers, citing an unnamed source involved in the IAAF tests, reported that Semenya’s results showed she is a hermaphrodite, with internal testes.

The leaked report has enraged the South African public, with the government this week launching a complaint with the United Nations to investigate the violation of the athlete’s rights by the IAAF.

The body has distanced itself from the reports, saying a decision will be made in November on the case.

Source: AFP