 Semenya knocked eight seconds off her personal best over the summer |
Athletics South Africa is launching an inquiry into its own handling of the Caster Semenya affair.
There has been much speculat! ion over the 18-year-old's gender since she won the 800m world title last month.
Athletics world governing body, the IAAF, demanded tests were carried out, prompting a war of words with the body.
But the ASA has now said: "[We] cannot afford to be drawn into a media campaign to discredit the leadership and administration of the ASA."
Semenya burst on to the world stage when she ran one minute, 56.72 seconds for the 800m in Bambous in July, smashing her previous personal best by more than seven seconds.
And she has remained in the spotlight since the IAAF revealed that it demanded Semenya take a gender test before the World Championships in Berlin amid fears she might not be able to run as a woman.
Following the findings of initial tests, the IAA! F then asked the South Africans to withdraw her from their tea! m for Ge rmany.
However, the South African athletics federation insisted she should run and says it is certain she is female, a claim backed up by her family.
Semenya then went on to win the world title in another personal best time of 1.55.45 seconds, two seconds clear of defending champion Janeth Jepkosgei.
The ASA and IAAF have been pointing fingers at each other in the aftermath, while South Africa's sports minister Reverend Makhenkesi Stofile threatened a "third world war" should the IAAF ban Semenya from competing.
However, the new ASA statement continued: "In order to focus its attention in the best interests of all its athletes, the ASA is open to the appointment of a commission of enquiry into the way in which it conducted its affairs ! around the Caster Semenya issue.
"The ASA's first priority is to ensure that Caster Semenya's professional career is protected.
"The federation is right now focusing its efforts and attention on dealing with the questions around her legitimately continuing to participate in athletics."
Meanwhile, Lord Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee for the 2012 Olympic Games, is leading a proposal that would see athletes who are in the same situation as Semenya being asked to temporarily stand down from racing.
"We can never allow this to happen in this way ever again," said Coe, who is also a vice-president of the IAAF.
"We need to be able to say, 'I'm sorry, interim findings tell us that we have an issue and this issue cannot be played out in a major championship'."
Coe will discuss the issue with the other IA! AF vice- presidents and their recommendations will be presented to the IAAF council at its next meeting in November.
