RSA condemn Semenya gender speculation

South Africa's teenage 800 metres word champion Caster Semenya, who is undergoing a gender test, has been unfairly treated, the country's Olympic body has said.

Powerfully built but smooth running, the 18-year-old clocked one minute, 55.45 seconds for the year's fastest time and a personal best by more than a second to win gold in Wednesday's final.

"With Caster on the brink of something special, we condemn the way she has been linked with such media speculation and allegation," said Gideon Sam, the president of South Africa's Olympic governing body SASCOC.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said on Wednesday, hours before Semenya was due to run, that the procedure for a gender test had started following her rapid performance improvement in the past year.

Semenya has shaved more than eight seconds off her personal best in the two-lap race in a year.

"SASCOC are behind her and in support of her every step of the way," said Sam in a statement posted on the SASCOC website (www.sascoc.co.za)

"If the IAAF feel they need to give her a gender test, then they must also release the results to allow her to continue her development and put any malicious comment to bed," Sam said.

IAAF general secretary Pierre Weiss, who replaced Semenya at the medallists' news conference on Wednesday, said an investigation into her gender was underway in both South Africa and Berlin.

He said the IAAF had allowed her to compete because "today there is no proof and the benefit of doubt must always be in favour of the athlete". BERLIN, Reuters