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Caster Semenya wins first small battle against IAAF

Caster Semenya
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Caster Semenya has won the first small battle in her fight against the IAAF. She complained to the panel at the hearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport earlier on Monday that the IAAF had breached the rules regarding confidentiality, on the first day of the hearing in Lusanne, Switzerland.

Semenya and a high-level South African team are fighting proposed new IAAF rules that would limit the testosterone levels in certain women athletes.

Semenya complained to the panel that the IAAF is trying to influence public opinion. They agreed to let her make her own statement, and she will give background to who will appear for her on Tuesday. She was joined in that complaint by Athletics South Africa (ASA).

The panel stressed that the proceedings, which are expected to last the rest of the week, are confidential.

The IAAF list of expert witnesses includes a number of professors in Endocrinology, Gyneacology and Pharmacology, a law professor who researched gender identity, and an IOC advisor who is a former athlete who has transitioned from male to female.

The decision of the panel is not expected until March.

The hearing of the Court of Arbitration for Sport regarding the eligibility of women with high levels of testosterone, and the limits the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) wants to impose on them, has already become heated.

The IAAF has released a media statement on Monday morning, giving details of their argument, and a list of their expert witnesses. This has already earned the ire of ASA, who argued that this contravened the confidentiality agreement over the proceedings.

The panel has given ASA and Semenya permission to release a statement of their own, so the public can be aware of both sides of the argument.

ASA is planning to release the names of their witnesses later on Monday afternoon.

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