President of SAfrican track federation says Semenya facing scrutiny because she’s African

Track head assails Caster Semenya’s critics

BERLIN — The president of the South Africa’s track and field federation says 800-meter world champion Caster Semenya is facing intense scrutiny about her gender because she’s African.

The 18-year-old Semenya won her first world title after revelations surfaced she was undergoing a gender test to prove she is a woman.

Athletics South Africa president Leonard Chuene said Thursday this would not be the case “if it were some young girl from Europe.” He adds that if this was someone who was white she would be “sitting somewhere with a psychologist, but this is an African child.”

Chuene also says Semenya is insulted by the uproar about her gender. He says: “She’s a human being. She reacted like a child.”