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Cape Town - The South African Football Association (SAFA) has joined the wave of support for Caster Semenya as she fights for gender equality ahead of her landmark hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) this week.
READ: SA govt rallies behind Semenya over new gender rules
The IAAF has proposed rules that would force so-called "hyperandrogenic" athletes or those with "differences of sexual development" (DSD) to lower their testosterone levels below a prescribed amount.
The rules were to have been instituted in November 2018 but have been put on ice pending this week's hearings in Lausanne.
"SAFA knows fully well, the pain of countless female football players who, on a daily basis are harassed, ridiculed and victimised sexually because they are deemed different by ignorant bigots," read the press statement from SAFA.
"In the name of women football player who are victims of the disgusting scourge of corrective rape, discrimination and murder, we hereby declare our unqualified support for Caster and hope that the Court of Arbitration in Sport will make the right decision when it hears this matter next week."
CAS will hear evidence from February 18-22, 2019, with an outcome expected on or before March 29, 2019.
ALSO READ: Semenya says she is 'unquestionably a woman'
The IAAF rules will apply to women in track events from 400m up to the mile and require that athletes have to keep their testosterone levels below a prescribed amount "for at least six months prior to competing".
The delay means may see Semenya miss most of the 2019 outdoor season.
