Committee to summons Sascoc over Semenya

14 September 2010 - 17:53 By Charl du Plessis
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Parliament's portfolio committee on sports and recreation has agreed to summons Sascoc to appear before it to explain its handling of Caster Semenya's gender tests.

The resolution comes after the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee last week refused to appear before the portfolio committee to produce and explain the initial investigation into ASA's handling of the Semenya affair, as well as the forensic audit report of the athletics body.

The portfolio committee, chaired by Butana Komphela, had sent two letters to Sascoc asking it appear before the committee and explain the relevant reports.

In a reply dated dated August 13, Sascoc said it had "briefed our Minister of Sport Rev Stofile on both issues that you have mentioned" and that the investigation was too sensitive to be discussed before the committee.

In the resolution adopted yesterday, a copy of which Times LIVE has obtained, the commitee decided that "the president of Sascoc be summonsed for the purpose of producing the Investigation Report into the handling of the gender testing of Ms C Semenya by Athletics South Africa".

The resolution will now be sent to the Speaker of the National Assembly, who must concur for the process of summons being issued to continue.

Komphela said he could not understand why the whole report "they say is sensitive" was published in the Sunday Times.

"It's unfair," he said.

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