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Crowds greet gender-test athlete | Crowds greet gender-test athlete |
(29 minutes later) | |
Controversial world champion athlete Caster Semenya has arrived home in South Africa to a rapturous welcome. | Controversial world champion athlete Caster Semenya has arrived home in South Africa to a rapturous welcome. |
Hundreds turned out to greet Ms Semenya and fellow medallists, men's 800m champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi and long jump silver medallist Khotso Mokoena. | Hundreds turned out to greet Ms Semenya and fellow medallists, men's 800m champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi and long jump silver medallist Khotso Mokoena. |
Police restrained the singing and dancing crowds as she left the airport. | Police restrained the singing and dancing crowds as she left the airport. |
South Africans have rallied behind Ms Semenya, who won the 800m women's final last week, hours after news broke that she had to take a gender test. | South Africans have rallied behind Ms Semenya, who won the 800m women's final last week, hours after news broke that she had to take a gender test. |
The whole team is expected to meet President Jacob Zuma later. | The whole team is expected to meet President Jacob Zuma later. |
The BBC's Karen Allen in Johannesburg says the intention is to shift the emphasis back to the country's sporting achievements and show that it stands proud despite the controversy. | The BBC's Karen Allen in Johannesburg says the intention is to shift the emphasis back to the country's sporting achievements and show that it stands proud despite the controversy. |
'100% female' | '100% female' |
The ruling African National Congress had helped transport people to the OR Tambo airport wearing the national colours of gold and green. Some sang and danced as they waited. | The ruling African National Congress had helped transport people to the OR Tambo airport wearing the national colours of gold and green. Some sang and danced as they waited. |
We are here to tell the whole world how proud we are of our little girl Winnie Madikizela-Mandela New twist in Semenya gender saga href="/2/hi/africa/8220847.stm">South Africans restore Semenya's pride class="" href="/2/hi/africa/8220251.stm">In pictures: Semenya comes home The complexities of sexual identity | |
Others held up messages of support. Posters read "our first lady of sport", "welcome home Caster, our champ" and "Caster 100 percent female". | Others held up messages of support. Posters read "our first lady of sport", "welcome home Caster, our champ" and "Caster 100 percent female". |
After their arrival, the athletics team was whisked off to the airport's parking area where more crowds waited to catch a glimpse of them. | After their arrival, the athletics team was whisked off to the airport's parking area where more crowds waited to catch a glimpse of them. |
They were taken to a stage, where Ms Semenya gave a thumbs-up to the crowd and said: "Hi everybody". | They were taken to a stage, where Ms Semenya gave a thumbs-up to the crowd and said: "Hi everybody". |
The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Johannesburg says she was mostly subdued, although the crowd was trying to raise her spirits and she did smile a couple of times. | The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Johannesburg says she was mostly subdued, although the crowd was trying to raise her spirits and she did smile a couple of times. |
Ms Semenya's family was at the airport to welcome her home. | Ms Semenya's family was at the airport to welcome her home. |
AT THE SCENE Pumza Fihlani BBC News | AT THE SCENE Pumza Fihlani BBC News |
Many fans had waited for hours in the chilly winter morning to catch a glimpse of Caster Semenya arriving back in South Africa. | Many fans had waited for hours in the chilly winter morning to catch a glimpse of Caster Semenya arriving back in South Africa. |
In the event, she didn't speak to the crowds and she didn't speak at a press conference called by local athletics body, Athletics South Africa. | In the event, she didn't speak to the crowds and she didn't speak at a press conference called by local athletics body, Athletics South Africa. |
But she did get on to a hastily erected podium outside the airport to join in with a dance for a few seconds - before rejoining her fellow medal winners. | But she did get on to a hastily erected podium outside the airport to join in with a dance for a few seconds - before rejoining her fellow medal winners. |
Most of the fans left the airport with smiles on their faces, happy to have seen their newest sporting star. | Most of the fans left the airport with smiles on their faces, happy to have seen their newest sporting star. |
AFP news agency quoted her uncle, Ben Semenya, as saying: "Caster is a girl... I am not worried about that too much. Caster is like my child. I know where she comes from. For myself, I know Caster is a girl." | AFP news agency quoted her uncle, Ben Semenya, as saying: "Caster is a girl... I am not worried about that too much. Caster is like my child. I know where she comes from. For myself, I know Caster is a girl." |
The ex-wife of former President Nelson Mandela, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, also greeted her. | The ex-wife of former President Nelson Mandela, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, also greeted her. |
"We are here to tell the whole world how proud we are of our little girl," the Associated Press quoted her as telling the cheering crowd of fans. | "We are here to tell the whole world how proud we are of our little girl," the Associated Press quoted her as telling the cheering crowd of fans. |
"They can write what they like - we are proud of her." | "They can write what they like - we are proud of her." |
Our correspondent says Ms Semenya then sat silently through an hour-long news conference, looking mortified as various officials spoke in her defence. | Our correspondent says Ms Semenya then sat silently through an hour-long news conference, looking mortified as various officials spoke in her defence. |
Ms Semenya's family in Limpopo province has shown the BBC her birth certificate, which states she is female. | Ms Semenya's family in Limpopo province has shown the BBC her birth certificate, which states she is female. |
Athletics South Africa President Leonard Chuene last week told a local paper he had had to "persuade" the athlete to go to the podium to accept her gold medal because she was so upset about the gender row. | Athletics South Africa President Leonard Chuene last week told a local paper he had had to "persuade" the athlete to go to the podium to accept her gold medal because she was so upset about the gender row. |
Internal inquiry | Internal inquiry |
The ANC women's league said it viewed the order for the test by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) "as [a] vicious attack on the dignity of Caster Semenya and all women athletes because they suggest that women can only perform to a certain level and that those who exceed this level should be men". | The ANC women's league said it viewed the order for the test by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) "as [a] vicious attack on the dignity of Caster Semenya and all women athletes because they suggest that women can only perform to a certain level and that those who exceed this level should be men". |
IAAF President Lamine Diack accepted that the affair had been handled badly. | IAAF President Lamine Diack accepted that the affair had been handled badly. |
"I deeply regret that confidentiality was breached in this case and that the IAAF were forced into a position of having to confirm that gender testing was being carried out on this young athlete," AP quoted him as saying on Sunday. | "I deeply regret that confidentiality was breached in this case and that the IAAF were forced into a position of having to confirm that gender testing was being carried out on this young athlete," AP quoted him as saying on Sunday. |
"It is a regrettable matter and I have requested an internal inquiry to ensure that procedures are tightened up and this never happens again." | "It is a regrettable matter and I have requested an internal inquiry to ensure that procedures are tightened up and this never happens again." |
The IAAF ordered Ms Semenya to take the "gender verification test" after she improved her personal best by more than eight seconds over the past year. | The IAAF ordered Ms Semenya to take the "gender verification test" after she improved her personal best by more than eight seconds over the past year. |
The IAAF stresses that it does not suspect her of deliberately cheating, but questions whether she may have a rare medical condition which gives her an unfair advantage. | The IAAF stresses that it does not suspect her of deliberately cheating, but questions whether she may have a rare medical condition which gives her an unfair advantage. |