South African Govt Condemns Court Decision on Semenya’s Appeal Against IAAF’s Testosterone Rule

Ololade Adeyanju & AFP/

The South African government has criticised the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) in the appeal filed by international female athlete, Caster Semenya and the Athletics South Africa against the testosterone rules of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)

A statement by the Minister of Sports and Recreation, Ms. Tokozile Xasa, expressed disappointment with the judgment.

The statement further noted: ” As the South African government, we have always maintained that these regulations trample on the human rights and dignity of Caster Semenya and other women athletes. We will comment further after studying the full judgment.”

See original statement below:

The decision by Cas means Semenya will have to take medication to reduce her testosterone if she wants to keep running on the international stage.

The surprise decision, which was announced by the Cas after three judges had spent more than two months deliberating over the complex and highly contentious case, came even though Cas agreed that the IAAF’s policy was discriminatory to athletes with differences in sexual development (DSDs) such as Semenya.

In a statement Cas said Semenya’s team had been unable to prove the IAAF’s policy was “invalid”. Instead it ruled that its policy was in fact “necessary, reasonable and proportionate” to ensure fair competition for females.

It added: “The panel found that the DSD Regulations are discriminatory but that, on the basis of the evidence submitted by the parties, such discrimination is a necessary, reasonable and proportionate means of achieving the IAAF’s aim of preserving the integrity of female athletics in the Restricted Events.”

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