SA Rugby: Caster is unfairly targeted

Cape Town - Mark Alexander, president of SA Rugby, on Monday pledged support from the South African rugby fraternity for the country’s track and field star Caster Semenya, ahead of this week's hearing on proposed rules by the IAAF which aim to restrict testosterone levels in female athletes.

"Caster Semenya is a national treasure and someone all South Africans should be immensely proud of, and we fully support her in this fight which we see as discriminatory to women," said Alexander.

"We firmly believe that she is being unfairly targeted in this hearing as it excludes participants in items such as sprints and longer distances.

"Caster is a double Olympic gold medallist and a three-time world champion and she won these titles, as well as all her other accolades, through sheer determination, hard work and talent. 

"Adversity is nothing new to her and every time she deservedly made it to the top. Caster is someone who motivates us as South Africans to stand up against discrimination and to always remain humble and work hard. We are 100 percent behind her."

Athletics South Africa has already pledged its "unqualified support" for Semenya and she has also received support from Cricket South Africa which said it stood behind the "national icon" and denounced the IAAF regulations as "an act of discrimination" against women in sport.