Thousands of people came to celebrate the 18-year-old Semenya's return at O.R. Tambo International Airport -- and to vent their anger at what they see as her ill treatment. Some men held up posters that proposed marriage. According to the IAAF, Semenya's dramatic improvement as a runner contributed to questions about her gender. After the race, defeated rivals claimed she was a man. In Britain, the BBC and the Daily Telegraph have reported that initial tests before her race last Wednesday at the world championships in Berlin showed Semenya's testosterone levels to be unexpectedly high, prompting the decision to carry out gender tests. The massive outpouring here Tuesday, along with a Facebook fan page with more than 40,000 members, underscored the raw nerve in South Africa over questions of whether Semenya is female. The controversy has been characterized as racist and sexist by some commentators, politicians and activists. Zuma said Semenya showcased women's power and achievement, and showed that a determined person could not be stopped. He described her as an honest, professional and competent athlete who had been publicly humiliated. 'Ms. Semenya has also reminded the world of the importance of the rights to human dignity and privacy which should be enjoyed by all human beings,' he said. 'In recognition of the supremacy of these rights, we wish to register our displeasure at the manner in which Ms. Semenya has been treated.' Asked what his reaction would be if Semenya was stripped of her gold medal, Zuma brushed aside the question. 'They're not going to remove the gold medal. She won it,' he said. The IAAF has said the tests are complex and results will not be available for several weeks. The welcoming ceremony took on the atmosphere of a political bandwagon as ruling African National Congress stalwarts took to the stage and attacked the media for its coverage of the affair and the IAAF over the gender tests. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the ex-wife of former President Nelson Mandela said no one had the right to perform tests on 'our little girl' and warned South Africa's media to be more patriotic 'without insulting one of our own. Use the freedom of press we gave you properly because we can take it from you.' Julius Malema, the controversial head of the ANC Youth League, blamed the media for questioning Semenya's gender and undermining all South African women. 'Once again the white-controlled media is wrong. ... Please stop bothering Caster,' he said. Malema also questioned why there weren't more white South Africans in the crowd to greet Semenya and two other medal-winning athletes. (Malema faces a complaint in South Africa's Equality Court by an activist organization, Sonke Gender Justice, for saying that a woman who accused Zuma of rape in 2006 'had a nice time.') Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya, the minister for women, children and people with disabilities, said her department had written to the IAAF to determine why there are doubts over Semenya's gender. 'Is it because she's a woman? Is it because she's African? We want to know why this was done,' Mayende-Sibiya said. The president of Athletics South Africa, Leonard Chuene, said the report that sparked the row over Semenya's gender originated in South Africa, however. 'I think the story got to the IAAF from this country,' he told a news conference. The South African parliamentary committee for sports and recreation announced last week it would lodge a complaint with the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights that the tests grossly undermined human rights and privacy. Semenya looked shy at the arrival ceremony and spoke only briefly to reporters after meeting Zuma, saying she had known she could win the race. She described how her coach told her to soundly defeat the competition in the last 200 meters. 'I did what he said, but I took the lead in the last 400,' she said. 'I celebrated the last 200. It was great.' 