Malema enters Semenya controversy

Published Aug 22, 2009

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ANCYL leader Julius Malema on Saturday called on the South African government not to allow the IAAF to go ahead with its controversial gender test on track champion Caster Semenya.

'The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) decision to test Semenya is racist and sexist and we must not allow them to do it,' said the African National Congress Youth League leader.

He was addressing the ANCYL regional conference in Durban.

Calls for Semenya to be tested were made because she was black and because she had surpassed her European competitors, said Malema.

Malema said they would not allow Europeans to continue treating black people as if they were monkeys.

'She must just give back their medal if they continue calling for her to be tested. We will give her a proper gold here in South Africa,' he said.

Malema said there were many athletes who looked like men who had never been harassed as Semenya had been.

'There are so many athletes who are ugly and some look like men but no one has said anything. That girl (Semenya) is nice and we support her,' said Malema. Sapa

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