Cape Town – Just a few days after setting a new personal best in the 3 000m, Caster Semenya has blasted World Athletics for their regulations regarding DSD (differences in sexual development) athletes, which has resulted in her being discriminated against unfairly.
The two-time Olympic and three-time world champion in the 800m is currently not allowed to compete in distances from the 400m to the mile, but can take part in the 100m and 200m sprints, and any race further than the 1 600m mile.
She pointed out the hypocrisy of the situation in a tweet on Saturday, posting: “So according to World Athletics and its members, I’m a male when it comes to 400m, 800m, 1500m and 1600m! Then a female in 100m, 200m, and long distance events. What a research. What kind of a fool would do that? Hai mathata man, bare sepela o di bone (they are playing us, you can see).”
So according to World Athletics and it's members I'm a male when it comes to 400m,800m, 1500m and 1600m! Then a female in 100m,200m, and long distance events.😂🤣😂🤣 what a research. What kind of a fool would do that? Hai mathata man, bare sepela o di bone.👀
— Caster Semenya (@caster800m) March 26, 2022
Semenya has tried to have the World Athletics regulations overturned on a few occasions, but has lost those cases, including one at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Her last resort has been to turn to the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, where she is still awaiting a verdict.
But after producing her best ever 3 000m time of eight minutes, 54.97 seconds (8:54.97) at the Athletics South Africa Grand Prix meeting at the Green Point Athletics Stadium on Wednesday night, Semenya told the media afterwards that she was still running to entertain the fans, and was busy with coaching young athletes.
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She will try to qualify for this year’s world championships in the 5 000m, and didn’t hold out too much hope of being successful in her court case.
“At the moment, I’m not really focused on it (court case) because it’s a legal battle, where my attorneys are busy with it. I’m not really expecting anything out of it at the moment,” the 31-year-old said.
“My focus is to be here to help my athletes, so that they can be better. My coaching is my primary goal at the moment, and being able to plough back to the athletes and work on the foundation, so that I can change lives.
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“Like I said, I made peace a long time ago with the situation – that’s why you see me back here running. My focus is just to be better, to make sure my fans are always cheering. They want to see me back on the track… That’s the goal, that’s what I’m doing. I’m doing the most out of it.”
Having won a number of major titles in the 800m, Semenya said that she is not worried about adding more international medals to her name.
“I’m a two-time Olympic champion and I’m a three-times world champ. As long as you remember my accolades… I won all major titles. There’s nothing to worry about. There’s no doubt that I’m the best that’s ever done it!
“So, why must I worry about that? At the end of the day, I have achieved my goals, and now it’s just to fight the injustice and make sure that all these kids that are facing similar problems don’t face that. That’s my goal at the moment.”
IOL Sport