Hon Speaker, Deputy President, hon members, earlier today the team representing Athletics SA returned to the country after an outstanding performance at the 14th IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany. The spontaneous outpouring of support for the team by all South Africans illustrated how the events surrounding Caster Semenya have galvanised the country to support and unite behind the young girl.
While the team finished ninth overall, the championships will be remembered for the humiliating treatment dished out to Caster Semenya. The 18-year-old Caster had to defy all the odds to conquer the world in the women's 800- metre event. She is, undoubtedly, superb and talented and her performance on track captured the imagination of athletes and spectators at the championship. Her brilliant performance has been thwarted by gender stereotypes, discrimination, public humiliation and invasion of her privacy by IAAF officials and the media.
The way the IAAF handled the matter has been clumsy and unprofessional and with complete disregard for the interests of Caster. Yesterday, the Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the matter to be investigated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The ANC calls for nothing less than an unreserved apology from the IAAF to Caster and to the entire South African nation to put this unacceptable incident to rest. This would allow Semenya to get on with her life and pursue her dream to dominate the 800-metre event for the rest of her life. I thank you. [Applause.]