South Africa: Committee on Sports Apologises to Caster Semenya for Shabby Treatment at Hands of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)

The Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture Chairperson, Mr Joe McGluwa, has apologised to three-time world 800-metre champion Ms Caster Semenya for the treatment she has received at the hands of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which has sought to unfairly criminalise her sporting ability.

The committee noted the ruling of the European Court for Human Rights, which has correctly ruled that the IAAF had discriminated against Ms Semenya. “This is vindication for the support. As the Chairperson of the committee, I was fortunate to be involved in all these controversies since 2010. Caster has stood the test of time despite being ridiculed because someone, somewhere, could not believe that a girl from Limpopo could make us proud,” Mr McGluwa said.

“We should now close this chapter once and for all as a decision had finally been made. One can only imagine how South Africa’s jewel has been affected and frustrated by all of this. And for all of this, we South Africans say we apologise and we salute you,” said Mr McGluwa.

Mr McGluwa said everybody should focus on the future now and, if possible, Athletics South Africa should find a way to contribute in new ways to her sport and her country.

In 2021, Ms Semenya appealed to the European Court following a set of IAAF special regulations, which ordered her to lower her testosterone levels. “We can’t run away from it; Caster is talented. It will take our country a long while to produce another powerhouse athlete as her,” concluded Mr McGluwa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.