For anyone unsure of why this is a significant issue not just for sport, but for our entire community, we note that if the world can allow a strong, successful adult woman to be treated this way, there is little hope for powerless infants and minors.

Our founding E.D. Hida Viloria has been lobbying against the egregious mistreatment of Caster Semenya since it began, first on television in 2009, next via a petition which she authored to the International Olympic Committee in 2010, as then Human Rights Spokesperson for The Organisation Intersex International (OII).

As a result of the OII Petition, s/he was invited to participate at the IOC’s meeting on the issue of women with hyperandrogegism (high testosterone) in 2010. Hida has shared in various articles how difficult this experience was, as the sporting bodies buckled to the pressure of the few female athletes who wanted something to be done about “women who look like men.” As the elected OII World Chair and the founding director of it’s American branch, OII-USA, s/he continued to publish and speak publicly on the issue, pointing to sexism, gender based discrimination and racism enabling and guiding the IAAF & IOC’s policies, as they continued to impact more athletes, such as Dutee Chand.

We are proud to be part of this legacy, as the former OII-USA, but we are furious that the IOC and IAAF have continued to create new policies to attempt to take Caster Semenya and others like her out of the running. It is nothing more than a witch hunt, and it needs to stop.

Please share this picture or any of the links here or others on our site to draw attention to support the great Caster Semenya and draw attention to this issue. Thank you!