September 24 - Anita DeFrantz,  the chair of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Women and Sport Commission, has claimed that South Africa's world 800 metres champion Caster Semenya (pictured) has had her human rights violated over the gender row.



The American, a qualified lawyer, claims that the teenager is the innocent party in the affair which has attracted worldwide attention and split South African society. 

DeFrantz said: "I have been deeply disturbed about how she has been treated.

"Her dignity as a human being has been trampled.

"She grew up in her hometown, she was given the opportunity to compete, she competed with integrity, and then she's faced with all this."

The comments by DeFrantz, a former rower who won a bronze medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and who has been a member of the IOC since 1986, came as members of the Athletics South Africa (ASA) board were meeting behind closed doors at a secluded guest house in Johannesburg to debate the future of Leonard Chuene.

The ASA President has confessed to lying repeatedly about the athlete's gender tests.

The besieged Chuene was among the first to arrive for today's meeting.
 

Delegates from ASA's 17 regions countrywide are expected to attend.


Related stories
September 2009: Sascoc to investigate ASA over Semenya scandal
September 2009: Mandela joins calls for action against Chuene over Semenya scandal
September 2009: Chuene facing sack after he admits lying about gender tests
September 2009: ASA President admits he did know about Semenya sex test
September 2009: More Semenya revelations next week, former team manager claims