Cricket South Africa (CSA) has thrown its weight behind Olympic champion and national icon Caster Semenya in her battle for gender equality prior to her hearing at the Court of Arbitration (CAS) next week.

South Africa’s two-time 800m Olympic champion (2012, 2016) and triple world champion (2009, 2011, 2017) is set to challenge a proposed rule by the International Athletics Federation (IAAF) that plans on restricting testosterone levels in female runners.

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‘We stand here as the cricket fraternity, joining all the voices throughout the world to denounce the IAAF Gender Regulations as an act of discrimination against women in sport,’ said CSA chief executive Thabang Moroe.

‘We state categorically and emphatically that women like Caster, who are born with intersex variations, should enjoy the same rights to dignity as all women. We honour, celebrate and recognise the equality of all women in sport.

‘As the national cricket body for cricket in South Africa, we call on all morally astute global citizens to rally behind Caster and vocally join in advocating for her right to continue to compete at the highest level.

‘This attempt at systematically ostracising potential talent should be condemned in the strongest terms. Together, let’s hit gender discrimination for six.’, concluded Moroe

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Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images