As she left a waiting room Thursday evening for the 10-yard walk across an unsecured area toward the door leading to the awards stand, Caster Semenya of South Africa turned to answer a question about how she felt.
“Good, man,'” Semenya said, the only words she has uttered for public consumption since her Wednesday victory in the women’s 800 meters had brought her more controversy than congratulation because of unanswered questions about her gender.
When the public congratulations came, in the medal ceremony, she seemed to be enjoying herself.
A near-sellout crowd at the Olympic Stadium applauded without reservation as she received the gold medal, then stood and sang along with her national anthem.
Semenya smiled broadly and laughed a few times as she posed for photographers with silver medalist Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya and bronze medalist Jenny Meadows of Great Britain.
When she returned to the waiting area from the ceremony, Semenya did a brief “for the record” interview with the International Association of Athletics Federations’ official film crew. A member of the crew said the interview would not be released to the public or the media.
But Semenya remained exposed to the swirl of controversy that began when IAAF officials said Wednesday night they had requested an investigation about whether she met a variety of standards — gynecological, chromosomal, hormone levels and more — to compete as a woman.
The Italian and Russian women who finished fifth and sixth to her Wednesday both told media they did not believe Semenya was a woman.
The accusations angered Leonard Chuene, a member of the IAAF Council and president of the South African track federation, who presented the medals.
“I am offended,” Chuene said. “First as a parent. Second, as a [sports] leader. I feel what the parents are feeling. I feel what this child is going through.
“People have taken a position before any scientific evidence is in front of them. They have castigated the girl, they have destroyed the girl, on what basis I don’t know.”
Her father, Jacob, told the Associated Press: “She is my little girl. … I raised her and I have never doubted her gender. She is a woman and I can repeat that a million times.”
South African steeplechaser Ruben Ramolefi suggested there might be traces of old prejudices toward Africa underlying the criticism.
“The question I ask is if this were a European person, would these questions be raised?” Ramolefi said. “It seems there is hypocrisy behind it.”
IAAF general secretary Pierre Weiss described the examination process, which he said was conducted at hospitals in Berlin and South Africa, as so complex it would be two to three weeks before the questions were answered.
Chuene said Semenya will disregard suggestions she should go back to South Africa before the meet is over to avoid all the media attention in Berlin.
“They have harassed the girl,” Chuene said. “But she came out strong. You can see she is strong. And she will continue to be strong, and she will not go home.”
