Mbulaeni Mulaudzi and Khotso Mokoena (Gallo)

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Johannesburg - South Africa’s superb performance at the World Athletics Championships was almost completely forgotten on Tuesday when the team returned from Berlin.

Men’s 800m gold medalist Mbulaeni Mulaudzi and long jump silver medalist Khotso Mokoena, were shoved to the far right of the head table as the Athletics South Africa (ASA) press conference turned into a political circus.

The likes of member of parliament Winnie Madikizele-Mandela and ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, led the support of South African golden girl Caster Semenya, who clinched gold with a stunning performance in the women’s 800m final.

Thousands of people turned up at the airport to congratulate Semenya and give the 18-year-old their support in the midst of an ongoing gender controversy.

But while Semenya was welcomed home with open arms, there was a distinct feeling that South Africa’s other two medalists had been all but forgotten.

While no other athletes reached their finals, the medal-winning trio placed South Africa ninth on the medal table, a marvelous performance that ended the nation’s six-year dry run at the global showpiece.

But with the IAAF having performed gender tests on Semenya on the eve of the championships, much of the focus on Tuesday was on the youngster, with Mulaudzi and Mokoena mentioned as little more than an afterthought.

ASA again stood firm in their support of Semenya, saying that her human rights had been violated.

“We did not just call upon the ANC,” said ASA president Leonard Chuene.

“We called upon all the leadership in this country to receive these children (athletes).”

Chuene, who resigned from his place on the IAAF council after the governing body ordered the tests on Semenya without ASA’s permission, slammed the IAAF for questioning her gender.

The IAAF has never once claimed that Semenya is a man. There is suspicion, however, that she could be partly genetically male and have a physical advantage over other female athletes, but Chuene said they had no right to test the world champion.

“Let me warn professors and scientists that the only scientists I believe in are the parents of this child,” Chuene said.

“One scientist from a stupid university somewhere is going to erase the entire life of this girl.”

The IAAF is still awaiting the results of the tests but Chuene refused to clarify what the process was or what would happen depending on the results.

“Why should we worry about other people’s tests?” Chuene said.

He also sent out a warning to the IAAF not to punish Semenya.

“We are here and one thing they mustn’t do is suspend her.”