The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) insisted in a statement they issued today that they will not release details of the tests until after its ruling Council has met in November.

But they did not deny the reports.

Zuma said: "We have a girl who has performed and won.

"I don't think we should play with people's lives and privacy.
 

"Why should we not respect the privilege between doctor and patient?
 

"I think we are faced with an unfortunate situation in this country where we claim to respect privacy and the rights of people, but then we do something that moves against those principles and values."

South Africa's Government has promised to lead a campaign to ensure that Semenya is not stripped of the gold medal she won in Berlin or that she is banned from competition.

Makhenkesi Stofile, South Africa’s Sports Minister expressed “shock and disgust” over the reports.
 

He said: “We will go to the highest levels of contesting such decisions, which we believe are totally unfair and totally unjust.

"She’s a girl, she may have an undesirable percentage of testosterone but that is neither here nor there."

Semenya pulled out of running in the women’s South African Cross Country Championships in Pretoria tomorrow, her first competition since winning the gold medal in Berlin.

Semenya’s coach Michael Seme, said she was “not feeling well.”
 

There has been widespread sympathy for Semenya since details of the test emerged, including from Indian athlete Santhi Soundarajan (pictured), who was stripped of the silver medal she won in the 2006 Asian Games after a gender test showed that she had an inter-gender condition.

Soundarajan said: "It was a very bitter and humiliating experience for me.

"Sports federations should come up with a solution to this, rather than ostracising somebody.

"I would like to appeal that there should be a serious reconsideration about the way these issues are addressed.

"I feel the [World Championship] medal should be with her, not withdrawn, and I strongly feel and suggest that she should be able to continue to run.

"The sporting bodies should treat her with honour.

"She should not undergo the same sort of humiliation and insults I have faced.

"This would affect her mentally and physically and she would not be in a position to hold her head high."

Soundarajan, who has admitted she has never been through the menstrual cycle, is now banned from competing in international competition.

She said: "I am treated as a social outcast, even in my own local place.

"Even this morning there was a local cycle race and I was an official.
 

"I overheard a police official who was in charge of the security talking about my gender and pointing at me saying, 'This was the girl who failed the gender test'.

"It is really, really humiliating.

"I am unable to move in the society, to go out anywhere.

"People don't look upon me as an Asian Games medallist, but only speak about when I failed a gender test."


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