Runner Caster Semenya was subjected to humiliating tests in South Africa even before a gender row erupted over her World Championship victory last month, a south African newspaper reported.

South African athletics officials have accused the IAAF of creating controversy by ordering gender tests on Semenya, who crushed opponents in the women's 800 metres at the World Championships in Berlin.

"The tests took almost two hours and Semenya became frustrated and even angry over the humiliating nature of the tests," Afrikaans daily Beeld quoted Athletics South Africa's (ASA) former head coach Wilfred Daniels as saying of the tests carried out in South Africa.

Beeld said Semenya was "bitterly upset" when photographs of her private parts were taken during the examinations.

No decision is expected until late November but the IAAF has declined to confirm a report last week in Australia's Daily Telegraph which said she had both male and female sexual characteristics.

Semenya was led to believe she would undergo drug tests in South Africa, Beeld said.

Semenya called and sent text messages to friends from the hospital to tell them about her ordeal.

Retired American track and field star Carl Lewis blamed ASA officials for Semenya's predicament, saying they had failed to protect her and deal with the issue.

"To put it out in front of the world like that, I am very disappointed in them because I feel that it is unfair to her," he said during a visit to Tel Aviv this week.

"Now, for the rest of her life she'll be marked as 'the one'."