South African Olympics officials suspend track chief in Semenya case

South Africa track chief suspended

JOHANNESBURG — The South African track chief who lied about his role in runner Caster Semenya’s gender tests was suspended Thursday, the nation’s top sports body said.

Athletics South Africa president Leonard Chuene and the rest of the track body’s 12-member board were suspended pending investigations into their handling of Semenya’s case, the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee said in a statement.

The committee appointed one of its members, Ray Mali, as ASA’s administrator and said he could call an urgent meeting to elect an interim board.

The Olympic committee also said its officials were considering action against international track officials for their “disregard of Ms. Semenya’s rights to privacy.” The statement did not elaborate on that point.

Earlier Thursday, ASA said in a statement it wished to “publicly and unconditionally apologize to Caster Semenya and her family, the president of South Africa as well as to all South Africans for the handling of her gender verification processes and the subsequent aftermath.” That statement referred to recent criticism of ASA from the governing African National Congress.

Semenya won the 800 meter world championships in August after the International Association of Athletics Federations said it had ordered gender tests.

Chuene later said he lied about his knowledge of the tests to protect Semenya’s privacy. Despite calls for his resignation he received a vote of confidence from the ASA.

The 18-year-old Semenya, a student at the University of Pretoria, has made only a few public appearances since returning from the World Championships in Germany. Late last month, she and other South Africans who earned medals at the world championships were honored at a dinner organized by the ANC’s Youth League.