Semenya was gender-tested in South Africa: report

South African runner Caster Semenya underwent gender testing in her home country, according to a local report published Friday.

The Mail & Guardian, a weekly South African paper, published what it says are emails that show local athletics officials authorizing sex tests to be done on Semenya.

Athletics South Africa (ASA) has repeatedly said the tests, which were conducted before Semenya's 800-metre world championship victory, were only done abroad and not in the country.

But the Mail & Guardian's report says that Molatelo Malehopo, general manager of the ASA, apparently gave team doctor Harold Adams permission to "go ahead" with tests requested by the world body governing athletics.

Also, ASA president Leonard Chuene was copied in on an earlier email to Malehopo asking for advice on handling the "confidential matter."

The report comes on the heels of the announcement that the ASA is conducting an internal investigation on how it handled Semenya's case. The country's governing body of athletics has been slammed for not protecting Semenya, and will appear before parliament next week to explain its role in the case.

On Tuesday, the IAAF was criticized by Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya, South Africa's minister for women and children. She said the organization showed "blatant disregard" for Semenya's "human dignity," and has filed a complaint with the United Nations.

Semenya, 18, has been under intense scrutiny since the runner won the women's 800-metre final at the worlds in August, amid reports that the IAAF had conducted complicated gender testing on her in July.

The IAAF hasn't disclosed the results of the tests, but Australian media outlets reported Sept. 10 she was found to be a hermaphrodite, with both male and female sexual characteristics.

The massive amount of attention has apparently taken its toll — another South African media report week said that Semenya was under suicide watch, and is constantly being monitored by psychologists. The report said Semenya is also receiving trauma counselling at the University of Pretoria.