AFRICA is closing ranks in support of golden girl Caster Semenya.

AFRICA is closing ranks in support of golden girl Caster Semenya.

Sowetan can exclusively disclose that the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) meeting yesterday decided to confront the International Athletics Federation (IAAF) about their treatment of Semenya.

The CAA is demanding an unequivocal apology for Semenya and Athletics South Africa (ASA) before any further discussion on her.

The row over the gender of the 18-year-old 800m gold medalist is still raging after her victory at the 12th IAAF championships in Berlin last Wednesday.

IAAF general secretary Pierre Weiss added fuel to the fire when he said they were to investigate whether Caster was male or female after questions were posed by some runners.

"They must apologise to Caster and SA before . any further discussion on the matter" said an African official who declined to be named yesterday.

Rapport newspaper yesterday reported that the IAAF was conducting tests on Semenya although she had not been informed of this.

So enraged is the ASA president Leonard Chuene that he has recused himself from the IAAF council as he "wants to fight the case with his gloves off".

Efforts to contact Chuene in Germany yesterday were unsuccessful.