The CGE welcomes the ruling by the European Court of Human Rights on Caster Semenya’s appeal in her matter against World Athletics.
The European Court of Human Rights has affirmed that Semenya was denied recourse by the Switzerland Supreme Court and the Court of Arbitration for Sport in her appeals against the World Athletics track and field organisation’s new regulations. These regulations have ruled Semenya out of several international athletic competitions unless she underwent treatment to lower her testosterone levels.
The CGE has long maintained that World Athletics’ restrictions and modification of its regulations in 2018 amounted to severe violation of Semenya’s right to bodily integrity, human dignity, and privacy. The Commission’s decision to support Caster Semenya as intervener in this matter is a direct message that the institution will continue without fail to uphold its constitutional and legislative mandate by protecting the rights of those that are discriminated against based on their sexual orientation and gender.
The CGE would like to call upon the South African government, as a signatory to a range of international instruments on the rights of women, to use its influence and diplomatic channels to bring pressure on the World Athletics to ensure that the European Court of Human Rights’ ruling is respected and allow Caster Semenya and other affected female athletes to compete free of unethical restrictions and unfair discrimination that impact negatively on the right to bodily integrity.
Contact Person:
Javu Baloyi (Spokesperson)
Cell: 083 579 3306
E-mail: Javu@cge.org.za
