Sue the IAAF, says Komphela

By Angela Quintal

Caster Semenya's right to privacy has been violated and lawyers must be briefed by government to sue the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on her behalf.

This is the view of the National Assembly's sports committee chairman Butana Komphela, who this morning told The Star that the ANC's parliamentary study group will insist on legal action when it meets Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile next week.

"We will ask the minister to take drastic measures to protect Caster Semenya. Someone is guilty of leaking her confidential medical information to Australian newspapers," he said.

While Komphela stressed that the Sydney Morning Herald report claiming Semenya was a hermaphrodite had not been officially confirmed by the IAAF, he said the damage done to the young woman was incalculable regardless of whether it was true or false.

The fiery ANC MP said he was "gatvol" (fed up) and dramatically proclaimed that he was "prepared to lay down his life for that girl".

This breaking news flash was supplied exclusively to iol.co.za by the news desk at our sister title, The Star.

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