United Nations backs Caster

ATHLETICS BODY DEFEATING ITS PURPOSE New rules would force women with hyperandrogenism to reduce their natural testosterone levels.

The United Nations (UN) representatives have hit out in a scathing letter to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), warning the body it was in danger of committing multiple human rights violations if it implemented new gender rules which could sideline athletes including South African middle-distance ace Caster Semenya.

In a letter addressed to IAAF president Sebastian Coe, dated September 18, independent experts – including medical and legal experts – representing various sub-committees and working groups appointed by the UN Human Rights Council raised “serious concerns” regarding the new regulations and called on the athletics organisation to reconsider its decision.

It also claimed there were “methodological flaws” in the research used by the IAAF as evidence to support the new rules, which allegedly reached contradictory conclusions.

“The eligibility criteria and the procedures for their implementation ... appear to contravene international human rights norms and standards including the right to equality and nondiscrimination; the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; the right to physical and bodily integrity; and the right to freedom from torture, and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and harmful practices,” the letter read.

The new rules, which would come into effect in November, would force women with hyperandrogenism to reduce their natural testosterone levels in order to compete internationally.

With the regulations applying only to athletes competing over distances between 400 metres and the mile (1.609km), the IAAF had been accused of targeting 800 metre world champion Semenya and other African middle-distance specialists.

According to the group of UN experts, the regulations ignored all other natural physical and biological traits, as well as social and economic factors that affected sports performance.

“This may be a targeted and nonobjective approach in contravention of nondiscrimination standards. It further appears to be counter to the IAAF’s goals to pursue fair and meaningful competition.”

With Athletics SA and Semenya set to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration of Sport, the legal team for the local athletics body was expected to approach relevant UN representatives to appear as witnesses for their case.

IAAF accused of targeting champion Semenya