IRANTI CONDEMNS THE SHOCKING DECISION BY SWISS COURTS TO BAR CASTER SEMENYA FROM COMPETING, BY UPHOLDING THE INDEFENSIBLE REGULATIONS OF THE IAAF.
- On 30 July 2019, the Swiss Supreme Court upheld and affirmed new regulations by the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) to bar womxn who display DSD (Differences in Sex Development) – particularly those displaying signs of hyperandrogynism – from competing in certain athletic events.
- This ruling comes after the Swiss Court initially temporarily suspended the IAAF’s policies which had been supported by the Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS). The IAAF and CAS acknowledged that the policy was discriminatory but argued that the discrimination was “necessary”.
- Iranti applauded the court ruling, as the IAAF’s policies are based in unfounded and controversial claims; are exclusionary; do not account for the natural diversity of human bodies; and would disproportionately affect Black womxn athletes such as Caster Semenya, reinforcing racist and sexist ideals and ideologies.
- A tribunal of the Swiss Supreme Court has now overturned its own initial findings and has once again barred Caster Semenya from competing as a professional athlete unless she undergoes unnecessary, life-altering chemical treatment to lower her natural testosterone levels.
- Iranti finds this decision to be inhumane as it goes against international law to stop discrimination against womxn. The decision of one court in Europe will not only tarnish the professional career of a talented Black athlete but enforces ideas of a gender and sex binary that simply does not exist in reality. Rather than recognising new evidence for human diversity, the IAAF and the Swiss Supreme Court have chosen to silence and sideline anyone who does not conform in order to maintain an outdated status quo!
- We call on the Swiss Supreme Court to look again at its decision and retract it permanently, allowing Caster Semenya and all womxn and gender diverse athletes to compete fairly.
- We demand that the IAAF immediately cease its decade-long witch-hunt against Caster Semenya and drop all pretence that this is a quest for fairness on the part of the organisation.
- We call on the South African government – namely the Department of Sport and Recreation, and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to use any and all available channels to take action against this ruling, and to continue to stand with Caster Semenya.
- We call on the public to make it known on all platforms that this decision is unacceptable. Tell the IAAF to take their #HandsOffCaster!
For media enquiries, please contact:
Jabulani Pereira, Director
(jabu@iranti.org.za; 082 957 5349)
Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane, Communications and Policy Advisor
(letlhogonolo@iranti.org.za; 076 164 8972)