(13/07/2005)

A leading Zimbabwean athlete has been jailed for four years for competing in female events, after the discovery that 'she' was a man.

Multiple medal winner Samukeliso Sithole (real name Ngwenya Mduduzi) was accused by fellow athletes and charged with impersonation and causing psychological damage.

The 18-year-old won the only gold medal for Zimbabwe at the Southern Region Championships in Botswana in June 2004.

And also scooped five gold medals and a bronze in long jump, shot-putt, javelin, high jump and 400m hurdles at a provincial youth championships in Masvingo, while competing as a female.

Lancashire Steel Athletics Club runner, Sithole, was arrested while waiting with friends outside a train station in Kwekwe, shortly after another man made the revelation.

The regional multi-event medallist in triple jump, shot put and javelin, claimed he was born with both male and female genitals after a doctor found him to be male.

But, six witnesses - including two doctors - told the court the athlete was not an hermaphrodite, after which he admitted to being a man.

The athlete life of deceit started at Ndhamatuli Secondary School early 2004 when some teachers at the rural institution fraudulently acquired a birth certificate belonging to Samukeliso Sithole, a Form Four pupil at the her school for her to use at competitions.

The Mauritius Sports Council are now considering legal action too after their athletes were relegated to second position by Sithole at the Southern Region Youth Championship in Phoenix last year.

The National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ) had earlier in February banned the athlete from all competitions until the matter in which 'he' was facing charges of crimen injuria (psychological offence) have been finalised.