Cape Town – Athletics South Africa (ASA) have confirmed on Friday that they have lodged an appeal to Switzerland’s Federal Court following Caster Semenya’s CAS ruling.

This comes after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected Semenya’s challenge against measures imposed by the IAAF that compel “hyperandrogenic” athletes to lower their testosterone levels if they wish to compete as women.

On Wednesday, Semenya announced that she will be launching her own appeal to Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court.

The IAAF argued that athletes such as two-time Olympic 800m champion had an unfair advantage over others.

Semenya has insisted that she will not take medication but has also said she hopes to defend her 800m title at the IAAF World Championships in Doha, which start on September 27.

Semenya will run in the 2 000 metres in a meeting held in the Paris suburbs on June 11, and has also entered the 3 000m at the Prefontaine Classic, which this year is being held in Stanford, California, on June 30.

Athletics South Africa press statement:

Athletics South Africa has instructed its Swiss lawyers, represented by Mr Alexandre Zen-Ruffinen, to inform the President of the Swiss Federal Court of our intentions to appeal the decision of the Court of Arbitration announced on April 30 2019.

The CAS pronouncement concerned the IAAF Eligibility Regulations for Female Classification (Athletes with Differences of Sex Development) for track events ranging from 400m up to, and including One Mile, which are now in force.

ASA’s Swiss lawyers have in turn informed the Swiss Federal Court that ASA’s appeal will be filed once the original of the CAS award has been received by the parties. To date, ASA has only received informal notification of the CAS award and has already indicated that it will appeal the CAS decision.

Meanwhile, ASA is aware that our athlete, Caster Semenya, has lodged her own appeal against the CAS award with the request that the IAAF regulations be wholly suspended pending the finalisation of the appeal.

ASA has informed the Swiss Federal Court that insofar as it participated in the CAS arbitration and to the extent that Ms Semenya is a registered member of the ASA, the federation wishes to be considered as an interested party in the stay proceedings, and in the appeal against the award and will file its appeal papers shortly.

Accordingly, ASA wishes to confirm that it will participate in the stay proceedings and in the appeal before the Swiss Federal Court.