A retrospective analysis of sixty one prospective donors who visited the cryobank in person from August 1999 to December 2001 was done. The study evaluated the acceptance rate of prospective semen donors and semen characteristics in order to assess the fertility potential of the supposedly normal population of young men. The outcome of the various screening processes--history taking, infection screening, blood grouping and Hb genotype assessment, semen analyses (pre-freeze and post-thaw), and post-quarantine (six months after production of last sample) infection--was analysed. Out of the 61 enquiries, 9 (14.8%) donors were recruited, 7 (77.8%) of whom were less than 25 years old. Fourteen (22.9%) donors had sperm concentrations greater than 60' 10(6) ml, 31 (50.8%) had motility greater than 60% and 17 (27.8%) had normal forms greater than 30%. Six (9.8%) of the donors were unable to masturbate and thus were disqualified, while only one donor (6.1%) failed to show up for a re-test after the completion of the quarantine period. Twenty one (38.2%) donors had low semen values based on the WHO reference value. We conclude that a high proportion of prospective semen donors may have suboptimal semen parameters, and that using strict criteria, poor acceptance rates for donors is observed in a semen donation programme.