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PICTURED: Caster Semenya

SOUTH AFRICA’S Sport Minister has instructed the countries athletics governing body to lodge an appeal against the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision to rule in favour of the International Association of Athletics Federations in their legal case against sprinter Caster Semenya.

The ministry’s position comes after advice by a ‘high-level panel’ that met to discuss the way forward after CAS ruled that the IAAF could impose its female eligibility regulations.

In a statement earlier today (May 13), Tokozile Xasa said that an appeal, which had to be be lodged at the Swiss Federal Tribunal before the end of the month‚ 30 days after the judgment was issued on May 1, should be made due to the lack of clarity over how the ruling could be implemented and how the evidence in the original case was handled.

The statement read: “The court simply gave the unfettered latitude to the IAAF to do as it pleases.

"For instance‚ it has not been answered as to how the IAAF will implement the regulations and how ethical issues will be addressed.

“The minister has also directed that the department of Sport and Recreation SA (SRSA) should work with other organs of state to intensify the international lobby and to approach the United Nations General Assembly to sanction the IAAF for violating International Human Rights Instruments.”

At the time of writing this article the Athletics South Africa (ASA) had not released an official statement.

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