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Cape Town - Athletics South Africa (ASA) has assembled a team of predominantly local legal and medical experts to challenge the IAAF's case to impose its regulations relating to the eligibility of females athletes with higher than normal testosterone levels to compete in international events.
This information has been released as a result of the IAAF having released information relating to the experts on its team in apparent contravention of a confidentiality order imposed upon the parties not to release any information relating to this case.
A press statement released by ASA on Tuesday afternoon stated: "Whilst the apparent main target of the regulations, Caster Semenya, is represented in her personal capacity by her own team of experts, Athletics South Africa has taken up the challenge on behalf of all affected female athletes worldwide, both current and in future as we believe that the regulations predominantly target African athletes.
Athletics South Africa is extremely concerned about the basis upon which the regulations have been formulated by the IAAF and will argue that the differences of sexual development (DSD) Regulations:
- discriminate against certain female athletes on the basis of (a) natural physical characteristics; and/or (b) sex;
- in their implementation will constitute an infringement of the right of the affected female athletes to human dignity, an inviolable human right which may not be derogated from at any time or infringed upon;
- are disproportionate in the context of the fact that they discriminate on the basis of a natural physical characteristic and/or sex, violate fundamental human rights of affected athletes, the harm they cause to female athletes and are not required to protect any rights of non-affected athletes.
- their implementation will constitute an infringement of the right of the affected female athletes to private life, which includes the right to the protection of a person’s moral and psychological integrity, as well as the right to choose, or to exercise personal autonomy. These are inviolable human rights which may not be derogated from at any time or infringed upon in any way and must be defended at all times.
The team assembled by ASA includes:
MADELEINE PAPE
She is an Olympian who represented Australia in the 800m at the international level from 2006 until 2010. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She is a USATF certified level 1 coach who coaches middle distance athletes for the Wisconsin Track Club.
PROFESSOR ROSS TUCKER
He has a PhD in Exercise Physiology studying fatigue, the brain and the limits to performance.
He is a science and research consultant for World Rugby, where his role is basically to support all strategic decisions that involve player welfare (injury, concussion, player health), High Performance (performance analysis, performance audits) and Law (law change and monitoring).
He is also an ambassador and scientific advisor to Virgin Active and Adidas, where his job is to help them apply science in the education of their staff (and members, in the case of Virgin Active), and to provide coaching and training support for Adidas in their events.
He has consulted with a number of teams in high performance sport, including SA Sevens (including the 2009/2010 World Series winning team), SA Kayaking, SA Triathlon, USA triathlon and the UK Olympic Committee.
In 2013 he was named by Mail & Guardian in their list of Top 200 Influential Young South Africans, and by the Minister of Sport as one of the 100 Influential people in South African Sport.
PROFESSOR WAYNE DERMAN (MBCHB, BSC (MED)(HONS)
He is a Professor and Director of the Institute of Sport and Exercise Medicine at Stellenbosch University and is a past president of the South African Sports Medicine Association. The Professor has played an important role in clinical support for South Africa’s athletes at International level. He fulfilled the positions of Chief Medical Officer for the South African Team to the Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 Olympic Games, and Medical Officer for the South African Paralympic Team to Beijing 2008 and London 2012. He also served as the Medical Officer for Cape Town for the FIFA 2010 World Cup.
He has been awarded many accolades in his career ranging from a Fellowship of the American College of Sports Medicine; the Val Schrire Award for Outstanding Investigator in the Cardiovascular Field in Southern Africa; the Paul Harris award from Rotary International for community contribution; to a Mondi Award nomination for journalism. In December 2004, he was named recipient of the Department of Health and Health Professionals Council award for Excellence in Health Care in South Africa. His research has focused on injury and illness prevention in athletes, especially those with disabilities and mitigation of chronic disease risk factors. He has published more than 170 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and policy documents, and presented widely on the International academic stage.
DR JEROEN SWART
MBChB, MPhil (Sports & Exercise Medicine), PhD (Exercise Science) and is the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC)- Chair of Scientific, Technical & Research Commission and Head of Sports & Exercise Medicine programme at the University of Cape Town & Sports Science Institute of South Africa.
PROFESSOR CARL LOMBARD (MSC) PHD
He is an experienced Biostatistician with more than 30 years of research work at the South African Medical Research Council. He is the Director of the South African Medical Research Council and has worked on many international studies in health research and clinical trials.
DR ARIANE SPITAELS MBCHB (UCT), DCH(SA), CPAEDS(SA)
Registered as Paediatrician 1998, and Endocrinologist 2007, she has worked as a paediatrician with a special interest in Endocrinology and Diabetes since June 2000 and has treated many transgender individuals including DSD patients.
PROFESSOR MARK ENGEL
He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital.
His qualifications are as follows:
BSc (Med) Hons (Human Genetics)(UCT); Master of Public Health (Epidemiology and Biostatistics) (UCT); PhD (Medicine) (UCT).
He is a recognised as an expert in the conduct of Systematic Reviews, having served a postgraduate internship at the South African Cochrane Centre / South African Medical Research Council, supplemented by international courses including those at Harvard University and University of Ottawa
PROFESSOR JOEL DAVE
Professor Dave is the Head of Division of Endocrinology, Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town
His qualifications are:
- MBChB (UCT) PhD (UCT) FCP (SA) Cert Endocrinology & Metabolism
(SA)
- Ad hominem promotion to Associate Professor, December 2016 Publications
40 in International Journals
17 in Local Journals
- Supervisor of PhD and Masters students
- Convenor of the South African Insulin Pump Guidelines and Thyroid Guidelines
- Writing committee of the South African Type 2 diabetes guidelines 2012, 2016
- Led successful bid to host the International Congress of Endocrinology (ICE) in 2018
- Chairperson: Local Organising Committee ICE 2018
- Chairperson: South African Endocrine Society (SEMDSA) 2012-2014
- Chairperson: Association of Clinical Endocrinologists of South Africa
2014-2017
- Examiner: Certificate in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism 2016, 2017, 2018
- Examiner: Fellow of the College of Physicians (FCP) part 1, 2010-
- External examiner: 3 PhD students, 2 Masters student
- Convenor of 4th year and 6th year MCQ exams 2010-2016
- Examiner: 4th year and 6th year Medical students clinical exams and
portfolio exams 2010-2016
- External examiner: 6th year medical students Stellenbosch and KwaZulu-Natal Universities 2012-2015
- Teaching of Medical Students (Biochemistry, Clinical methods,
Endocrinology) 2000-2010
- Teaching of Medical Registrars and Senior Registrars Endocrinology
2004-2016
- Reviewer for multiple medical journals
- Reviewer for the UCT Research and Ethics Committee
PROF MARC BLOCKMAN
MBChB, BPharm, PG Dip Int Res Ethics, MMed, Assoc CCP
He is a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital.
He a Specialist Clinical Pharmacologist and Bioethicist. He has been employed in this position since 1995. He is an Associate Fellow of the college of clinical pharmacologists (Assoc. FCCP); Diploma in Post Graduate International Research Ethics (UCT); MMed (Clinical Pharmacology) (UCT) MBChB (U.C.T); BPharm (U.C.T) with distinction.
He is a recognised as an expert on International, National and Provincial Drug Policy. He serves on the Medicines Control (medicines regulatory committee) of South Africa; as Council member as well as chairperson of the pharmacovigilance expert committee and member of the clinical expert committee. He serves as an International Consultant for the WHO, assessing drug policy and drug regulation in many countries and advise on the implementation of remedial systems where appropriate.
He is a member of the Universities medical and bioethics programme; and Chair of the University of Cape Town’s Faculty of Health Sciences Human Research and Ethics Committee, as well as chair of various data safety monitoring committees (DSMBs).
ASA is represented by a legal team comprising the following persons who have a long history of work in the human rights, sports law and personal injury fields:
1. Advocate Norman Arendse SC
2. Advocate Ncumisa Mayosi
3. Dev Maharaj
4. Shikar Maharaj
Earlier on Tuesday, Semenya's lawyers also announced a total of 10 other experts who will plea Semenya's case at the Court for Arbitration of Sport (CAS).
