AAS IN FULL SUPPORT OF SA ON CASTER SEMENYA SAGA

MBABANE – The country has thrown its full support to South Africa’s sensational runner Caster Semenya.

The South African government is planning to lobby other African countries in challenging the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on compelling women athletes with high levels of naturally occurring testosterone to take medication to reduce them.

Athletics Association of Swaziland (AAS) President Gideon Mthembu said as a country, they are against this because what is happening with Semenya is natural and there were lot of athletes who had the same condition.

The Sunday Times reported that South Africa’s government had indicated that they would contest the ruling with the highest level of world sport, possibly the Court of Arbitration for Sport. “This thing comes from Europe as they want to win the medals. They had noted that Africans were dominating in these events. We are behind South Africa over this because it may occur to any athlete from any country,” he said.

Mthembu said there were other athletes who had the same condition as Semenya and they dominated the world and a majority were from Africa. He made an example of Mozambique Matola and said others were from countries including Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya among others.

South Africa’s Sport Minister Tokozile Xasa said this was going to impact other athletes from Africa, nowhere else.
IAAF announced last week that women and intersex track athletes may only have testosterone levels that double those of 99 per cent of all women.

Athletes with higher levels would need to take medicine similar to hormonal contraceptives.
Mthembu said this was racism and discrimination at its best.

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