UN’s Caster stand represents full circle for SA

Back in the apartheid era, when South African sports grabbed the attention of the United Nations (UN), there were most likely to be condemnations rather than commendations.

So it is interesting to see how the wheel well and truly turned this week when independent experts, representing various sub-committees and working groups within the UN, jointly wrote a letter to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) which, effectively, supports South African athlete Caster Semenya.

The letter called on the IAAF to reconsider its new regulations – which are due to come into force in November – which would force women with hyperandrogenism to reduce their testosterone levels before they would be allowed to compete internationally.

The UN experts said there were “methodological flaws” in the IAAF research into the subject and that the regulations would violate many UN basic human rights guarantees. Among these are non-discrimination, the right to bodily integrity as well as protection from “degrading and harmful practices”.

We agree with the experts that from all angles – physiological, emotional, ethical and legal – Semenya has been abused by the international athletics system … simply because she is too good for the rest of the world.

Whatever else you call it, we call it unfair.

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