Department of Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa welcomes the decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which vindicates Caster Semenya’s fight for her dignity and reinforces the call for the protection of women’s rights in sport.
On Tuesday, 11 July 2023, the ECHR ruled in the case of Semenya vs Switzerland that “there had been a violation of the prohibition of discrimination taken together with the right to respect for private life as well as a violation of the right to an effective remedy”.
The context of this case relates to Ms Semenya’s fight against World Athletics Regulations on Female Athletes with Differences of Sexual Development (DSD), which compelled her to take testosterone level reducing hormone treatment to be able to compete in her favoured international athletics events.
The court found that Ms Semenya “had not been afforded sufficient institutional and procedural safeguards in Switzerland to allow her to have her complaints examined effectively”.
Minister Zizi Kodwa says, “As a two-time Olympic champion and three-time World champion, Caster Semenya has repeatedly displayed excellence and dignity on and off the athletics track. Caster has done so throughout her career whilst being subjected to offensive treatment, which has led to her being prevented from competing in her favoured events. While the fight to have Caster racing in her favoured athletics events continues, the ruling by the European Court of Human Rights is a clear statement at how Caster has faced discrimination in her fight against the offensive regulations she has been subjected to.”
“I have repeatedly stated that women’s rights are human rights. As the South African Government, we will continue to support Caster and Athletics South
Africa (ASA) in the fight for the dignity of women athletes, and for Caster’s right to race again in her favoured events,” says Minister Kodwa
Media enquiries:
Zimasa Velaphi
E-mail: Zimasav@dsac.gov.za
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Litha Mpondwana
E-mail: LithaM@dsac.gov.za
Cell: 064 802 3003
