EFF statement on Caster Semenya’s victory on her appeal to the European Court of Human Rights

11 July 2023

The Economic Freedom Fighters welcomes Caster Semenya's victory on her appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), over her plight to end discriminatory testosterone limits imposed on her and other female athletes.

Olympic champion runner Caster Semenya, has naturally high levels of testosterone in her body and has since 2019, been fighting against rules introduced in 2019 by World Athletics, which regulate levels of the hormone in female athletes. This a deliberate attempt to exclude the athlete from participating in athletics and defending her championship title.

Semenya had refused to take drugs to artificially lower her testosterone and had submitted an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in February 202 , against the government of Switzerland, for not protecting her rights when the supreme court of Switzerland ruled against her, over the rules three years ago.

Today's ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, has ruled that the Double Olympic 800m champion, Caster Semenya, was discriminated against by rules requiring her to lower her testosterone levels.

The Economic Freedom Fighters notes how women, especially black women, are often victimized and discriminated against by sports governing bodies. We are further saddened by the constant scrutiny into Semenya's medical history, which is telling of the treatment which women who do not conform to gender stereotypes, often receive.

Throughout her career, Caster has been subjected to intrusive testing and hormone regulation, and today she has been exonerated.

Caster Semenya's story, is a story of how racism and imperialism, still filter into the lives of our people. In the 14 years since Caster won the 2009 World Championships, the sports world has reduced her story to just one thing, her body. This reminiscent of the story of Saartjie Baartman, an African woman, who was taken from our shores in 1810 and brought to Europe to be displayed in a circus until her death.

To the Europeans, black bodies remain defined according to a white lens which defines womanhood in terms of that which is white, rendering black 'other' and therefore unacceptable.

The Economic Freedom Fighters congratulates Caster Semenya on her victory, and we reaffirm our belief in her as an elite athlete who has fallen victim to an anti-black world that refuses to accept that a black woman can dominate a sport regulated by a white world.

Issued by Sinawo Thambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 11 July 2023