PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
South Africa accuses IAAF of targeting Semenya in new female athlete classification
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) on Thursday voiced its disappointment with the decision taken by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to amend its classification for athletes with differences of sexual development.
The move is seen as an attempt to restrict South Africa’s Olympic champion athlete Caster Semenya.
The IAAF decision affects “female or intersex” athletes who have elevated blood testosterone levels who compete in five events – 400m, 800m, 1500m, one mile and the 400m hurdles.
Semenya is the Olympic champion in the 800m and she won the 1500m at the recent Commonwealth Games in Australia.
Following her victory at the 2009 World Championships, it was announced that she had been subjected to gender testing to establish whether she is indeed a female. She was withdrawn from international competition until July 2010 when the IAAF cleared her to return to competition.
SASCOC expressed concern that the rights, confidentiality and privacy of athletes is being affected. Committee President, Gideon Sam said Semenya has never engaged in any performance enhancing activities and any enhanced testosterone levels are due solely to her genetic make up.
-0- PANA CU/MA 26Apr2018
The move is seen as an attempt to restrict South Africa’s Olympic champion athlete Caster Semenya.
The IAAF decision affects “female or intersex” athletes who have elevated blood testosterone levels who compete in five events – 400m, 800m, 1500m, one mile and the 400m hurdles.
Semenya is the Olympic champion in the 800m and she won the 1500m at the recent Commonwealth Games in Australia.
Following her victory at the 2009 World Championships, it was announced that she had been subjected to gender testing to establish whether she is indeed a female. She was withdrawn from international competition until July 2010 when the IAAF cleared her to return to competition.
SASCOC expressed concern that the rights, confidentiality and privacy of athletes is being affected. Committee President, Gideon Sam said Semenya has never engaged in any performance enhancing activities and any enhanced testosterone levels are due solely to her genetic make up.
-0- PANA CU/MA 26Apr2018
