A statement released through Semenya’s lawyers pointed out that the scars she had developed over the past decade ran deep.
Semenya‚ who has challenged the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)’ proposed regulations for women athletes with differences in sexual development (DSDs) at world sport’s highest court in Switzerland‚ objected to Coe’s recent comments to the Australian Daily Telegraph newspaper.
Of particular offence was the IAAF Coe’s alleged racist comment in which he told the paper that “the reason we have gender classification is, because if you didn’t, then no (white) woman would ever win another title or another medal or break another record in our sport” as long as Semenya is running.
The paper itself derogatively referred to the athlete as “the muscle-packed Semenya.”
Lawyers for the athlete said in the statement that reading the comments by Coe opened those old wounds and that the reference by the Daily Telegraph (Australia) to “the muscle-packed Semenya” is “just the latest illustration of how the issues have been distorted by innuendo.”
It added: “Mr. Coe is wrong to think Ms Semenya is a threat to women’s sport. Ms Semenya is a woman. There is no debate or question about this and the IAAF does not dispute this.
“She was born a woman‚ raised a woman‚ socialised as a woman and has competed as a woman her entire life.”