Caster Semenya ruling sexist and racist: Department of Women
As Caster Semenya's legal team studies the full judgement handed down by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the Department of Women has weighed in on the ruling. It has described the outcome as sexist and racist.
"This is not just becoming a South African movement, this is becoming a global movement to ask how we are again defining what women's sexuality should be like and what the women's form should be like," said spokesperson Shalen Gajadhar.
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This after the Swiss-based court dismissed Semenya's challenge over the IAAF measures for some female athletes.It will force women with higher than normal male hormone levels to artificially lower the amount of testosterone in their bodies if they want to continue competing.
The verdict has triggered an angry response in South Africa.
Athletes like Kenya's Margaret Wambui, who has faced questions over her testosterone levels, and India's Dutee Chand, who fought and won a long battle over her own hyper- androgenism, have slammed the ruling.
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Gajadhar says the department will continue supporting Semenya."There are other governments getting involved and the idea is to keep making a noise on social media and other platforms to keep [people] about it."
Athletics South Africa is considering appealing the matter.
Meanwhile Sky News reports that the president of the IAAF, Sebastian Coe has defended the court's decision.
"I think this is pretty straightforward and it is very straightforward for any international federation in sport. Athletics has two classifications, it has age and it has gender. We are fiercely protective about both," he said.
