Semeny’s coach resigns

Wilfred Daniels resigned because of poor treatment of 800 m world champion.

South African athletics team coach, Wilfred Daniels, resigned because of South African Athletics Federation’s terrible treatment of 800 m world champion.

Daniels said that the 18-year-old athlete, suspected of being a hermaphrodite, was subjected to a gender test before the World Championship and that she was not told what she was being tested for.

- We did not act right towards Caster. Controversy was solved in a horrible way, said Daniels. He also said that the South African Athletics Federation (ASA) and international athletic federation (IAAF) both ‘created a mess’.

- Caster was put in the awkward position where she had to suffer just because of our lack of information. Also, she was not sufficiently informed of what could happen to her while she was in Berlin – he added.

She won with two seconds

- Prior to leaving for Berlin, Caster was invited to a clinic in Pretoria, but she was never fully explained what those tests were for - South African coach said.

- They told her that this was a test for urine and blood. According to one source with which I spoke, this test was administered with sole purpose of checking her sexual identity - he added.

The ASA announced in August that Caster was never subjected to sex tests.

Amidst the controversy surrounding her gender, Caster Semeny almost refused accepting the gold medal she won during 800 m finals when she finished in 1:55:45 hours - more than two seconds ahead of Janeth Jepkosgei and Jennifer Meadows.