In a statement, the ANC said they would focus on helping 18-year-old Semenya, because of "her humiliation by some national and international athletic bodies".

Semenya has rarely been seen since her return to South Africa after her humiliating public scrutiny following her 800 metres win at the Berlin World Championships in August.

It was there that the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) publicly revealed it had requested that she undergo controversial gender tests.

It was alleged that Semenya was a hermaphrodite who lacked a womb or ovaries, but had internal male testes which were producing high amounts of testosterone.

Her treatment and public humiliation sparked outrage from South Africans.

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympics Committee (Sascoc) has already launched an investigation into how Athletics South Africa (ASA) has handled the situation after its President Leonard Chuene admitted that he had approved sex tests for Semenya before Berlin but had lied about it.

Semenya, her coach, Michael Seme, and ASA team doctor Dr Harold Adams are all due to attend Sascoc legal and arbitration hearings this week.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the IAAF, meanwhile, are expected to announce further research into the gender of of women athletes.
 

The IAAF's medical commission are due to meet next week to discuss the report by experts on Semenya.

IAAF General Secretary Pierre Weiss has refused to comment on Semenya's gender tests, but insisted there was still a huge amount of investigation required to reach a definition on a women's gender test.

Weiss said the world governing body would also be asking its judicial commission for its legal view of what regulations should be implemented in the future.

He said: "We don't have a definition and all sports are asking themselves the same question.

"The IOC's commission will be meeting sometime this month to discuss and come up with some ideas."

The investigation into Semenya's gender tests by a panel of experts will be placed before the IAAF's ruling Council, which includes London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe, at its meeting in Monaco on November 21.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected].


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