The athletics official accused of peddling an “orgy of lies” in the Caster Semenya affair has been suspended along with his entire board.

Leonard Chuene, the Athletics South Africa [ASA] president, had portrayed himself as the teenager’s great protector, but he admitted that he lied about knowing that sex tests had taken place before the World Championships in Berlin in August. Semenya won the gold medal in the 800 metres and duly became a cause célèbre and political powder keg.

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) said it had suspended Chuene and the ten members of his board pending a disciplinary investigation. On a day of further twists and turns, ASA also said sorry.

A statement from the body read: “Athletics South Africa wishes to publicly and unconditionally apologise to Caster Semenya and her family, the President of South Africa, as well as to all South Africans for the handling of her gender verification processes and the aftermath.”

SASCOC recommended that Ray Mali, one of its board members, take over the administration of ASA and suggested it may also take action against the IAAF, the world governing body, for “its disregard of Semenya’s right to privacy”. The IAAF will nevertheless be glad to see the back of Chuene. Widely seen as an inflammatory figure in the saga, a report by Harold Adams, the South Africa team doctor at the World Championships, presented a damning case against him.

Adams, a much-respected figure, said that tests were conducted on Semenya around August 7, before the World Championships. He said he then met Chuene in Berlin, told him the results were “not good” and they agreed that she should be withdrawn from the team. However, Adams said Chuene changed his mind after consulting “high-powered politicians” in South Africa. He concluded: “It is obvious to me that Mr Chuene’s orgy of lies had absolutely nothing to do with Ms Semenya but had all to do with Mr Chuene’s interest to cover his back.”

Adams said that he hoped Chuene would meet his “comeuppance for his actions”. It seems Chuene may do so because he and his board will appear before a disciplinary inquiry to answer charges of “bringing ASA, the sport of athletics, SASCOC and sport in general into disrepute”. However, ASA then said it was looking to meet Semenya to discuss the affair.

Semenya won the gold medal in the 800 metres in Berlin amid a frenzy of speculation. News of the IAAF’s sex tests had already been leaked and she was ushered away on her victory lap. Leaked test results later suggested she has an inter-sex condition.