September 17,
After news broke last week that Caster Semenya’s gender verification test confirmed she was a hermaphrodite, the South African world champion sprinter has been placed on a suicide watch.
The Daily Star says psychologists are caring for the 18-year old round-the- clock and she has been receiving “trauma counseling” at the University of Pretoria.
The Chair of South Africa’s sports committee, Butana Komphela, is rumoured to have said: “She is like a raped person. She is afraid of herself and does not want anyone near her. If she commits suicide, it will be on all our heads. The best we can do is protect her and look out for her during this trying time.”
