Semenya's CAS ruling upheld in Switzerland
Following her suspension from competition after the Court for Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that she needed to take hormone-supressing drugs, two-time Olympic champion Caster Semenya’s appeal was unsuccessful as the Swiss Federal Court upheld the ruling this week.
Despite Semenya being at the heart of this debate, the CAS has made the general rule that any women that has disorder of sex development hoping to run in races between the distance of 400m and 1500m must take medication.
The South African Department of Sport and Recreation came out in support of South Africa’s golden girl and vowed that they would assist in any way they could as Semenya looks to continue the fight against the ruling.
“Both the South African Government and the global sporting community always held a firm view that these Regulations are a gross violation of fundamental human rights of DSD female athletes and therefore rallied behind the appeal by both Ms Caster Semenya and Athletics South Africa (ASA) in their legal tussle with the IAAF,” the DSR statement said
“In March 2019, during Human Rights month, all political parties represented in Parliament of the Republic of South Africa made statements which were unanimous and unambiguous in the condemnation and classification of these Regulation as violation of both women and human rights and committed their unequivocal support for Ms Semenya”
The Minister of Sport and Recreation Nathi Mthetwa has thrown his weight behind Semenya in hoping that they can help in getting her back on the track.
“As the Government of democratic South Africa, a country renowned for its tradition of promoting and protecting basic human rights, together with Athletics SA, we will study the judgement and consider various options and avenues at our disposal in our collective campaign to fight this injustice.
“We call upon all South Africans, Africans and the entire world to rally behind Caster in our quest to defeat injustice against Women in Sport and in particular African Women.”
