Government backs Semenya as IAAF mulls ban

The government is standing firmly behind Caster Semenya after a news report claimed International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) lawyers will argue that the world and Olympic 800m champion should be classified as female, but also as a “biological male” at a landmark case to be heard next week.

The IAAF rejected the “biological male” claims, but said that they still wanted the Court of Arbitration for Sport to rule whether any athlete with differences in sexual development must have their testosterone reduced to female levels before they compete internationally.

Semenya is challenging the proposed rule by the IAAF that seeks to restrict the levels of testosterone in female athletes and the sports minister’s spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga said on Thursday that they were fully behind her.

“We have noted the news that has broken over the past 24 hours but we want to reiterate our support for Caster,” Mhaga said.