Other Sport

Semenya 'to sue IAAF, ASA'

2009-12-29 09:08
Email | Print
Suing (File)
Durban - South African 800 metre gold medallist Caster Semenya — at the centre of a storm over her sex — is set to sue the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for R910 million and Athletics SA (ASA) for R136 million, according to unconfirmed reports.

Sports journalist Duncan Mackay, writing on the website insidethegames.biz, reported at the weekend that Semenya has enlisted the services of the firm of lawyers that fought for paralympian Oscar Pistorius to be allowed to compete in the standard Olympics.

The results of gender tests performed on Semenya were due to be announced at the end of November, but the only confirmation surrounding the case was that Semenya would keep the 800m World Championship gold medal and that more tests must be undertaken before any decision will be taken over her future career in athletics.

Gideon Sam, the president of South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), said they left the decisions with the IAAF and the athlete and are expecting a positive outcome.

But now, however, Semenya is suing.

The case against the IAAF relates to the association’s leak that gender tests were being performed and later letting it be known that the tests found she is intersexed.

To date the identity of the source that Australian journalist Mike Hurst used for his story that first broke the issue is not known, but the trail must lead back to the IAAF testing sub-contractors and that potentially makes the IAAF liable.

Neither the IAAF nor ASA has commented on the website report.

In September, on the recommendation of South Africa’s Sports minister, Semenya retained Greg Nott of law firm Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP to advise her on all legal matters relating to her human rights and her rights as an athlete.

However, Nott said on Monday that he did not know where the information had come from.

"We have no comment with regard to this, it is nonsense," he said.

The case against ASA will raise a number of interesting questions, not only because it is said that the federation is listed as a section 21 company, but also how this will impact on the newly appointed board members — especially with rumours that ASA debts already exceed R14 million.

 

Comment on this story
72 comments
Add your comment
Comment 0 characters remaining
 
 
Live Video Streaming
Video Highlights
Sport Talk
  • Title aspirations and IPL surprises
    It’s a really important weekend in the SuperSport Series, with the Titans trailing the Cape Cobras...
  • Live Scoring by SuperSport

    Sonny Bill Williams gets his own back

    Goalkeeper humiliates striker

    Sonny Bill Williams gets punched in the face

     Girls of the Cape Town Tens

    It wasn't all rugby at the Cape Town Tens...

     Sport24 Super Rugby challenge

    Think you're smarter than Sport24 finest brains?

    Featured Blog

    The question is not how popular Heyneke Meyer is outside 'Bullsland'. The question is: How popular is non-Bulls territory with the coach, asks blogger TruVanPunt.

    Latest blogs
    T20 Cricket- Endless Possibilities
    2012/02/08 05:22:44 PM
    Who is the best of all time??
    2012/02/08 04:06:04 PM
    My Super Rugby Wish List
    2012/02/08 03:08:56 PM
    Vote

    Lance Armstrong: Innocent or guilty as sin?

    Sign up and WIN

    Twitter Follow Sport24 on Twitter

    Newsletters Sign up for Sport24's Morning Glory newsletter

    Blogs Yes your opinion counts. Get it out there

    WIN Enter and win with Sport24!

    Mobile Sport24 on your mobile phone - WAP, alerts, downloads, services

    BlackBerry Stay in the loop on your BlackBerry

    iPhone Latest Sport24 news on your iPhone

    Facebook "Like" Sport24's Facebook page

    TV schedule Plan your couch time with our searchable sport TV guide

    RSS Feeds Sport news delivered really simply.

     
    There are new stories on the homepage. Click here to see them.