Wilhelm de Swardt

Pretoria – South Africa’s 800m women’s world champion Caster Semenya is currently so traumatised that she cannot write exams.

Her coach, Michael Seme, said on Wednesday that she is only realising now what had happened to her and it is beginning to affect her.

“She is mentally tired. Fortunately the University of Pretoria understands her problems They have made it clear to her that exams is the last thing she needs to worry about right now,” he said.

“It is important for everybody that Caster has to work through this on her own, but we are there if she needs us. She will write exams when she is ready.”

On Wednesday, another setback hit Athletics South Africa when the athletics council of University Sport South Africa (USSA) demanded in a statement that ASA chairperson Leonard Chuene, the entire ASA council and senior management at ASA should resign for their handling of the Semenya case.

According to the statement, it is unfathomable how Chuene and the management that attended the world championships in Berlin could ignore a doctor’s advice.

“We believe Caster’s case should have been handled more responsibly because in that case she would not have been internationally humiliated. All the tension and pressure under which Caster currently finds herself, is the fault of Chuene and his management,” the statement said.

“The manner in which Chuene lied to Government, certain ministers, the ASA Council and athletics supporters countrywide, is inexcusable. Even worse is the manner in which Caster, her family and coach were misled about the tests that were conducted in Pretoria. We have no doubt that, had it not been for the media, no-one except the management of ASA would ever have known about the tests.”

The USSA Athletics body also expressed concern about Nedbank’s withdrawal as sponsor and all the negative publicity that athletics is now receiving in South Africa.

The council also demands that Chuene apologises to Government, Semenya and the public.

They propose that the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) appoints an interim management to manage ASA’s affairs until there is stability in athletics again and a democratic election can be held.

Furthermore, it is insisted that an athletes commission, which is elected by athletes themselves, is established.