Caster Semenya Accuses Moroccan Athletics Federation of Blocking Her Diamond League Participation

Caster Semenya issued a statement to brush aside the explanations given by Alain Blondel, the official in charge of the competition’s platform. According to the Olympic 800m champion, her manager was clear on the matter. It was rather the "late invitation" that had "made her participation in this competition impossible".

According to the statement, on June 7, 2019, Caster accepted the Federation’s invitation to present herself in Rabat on June 16. She made the necessary arrangements and booked (the day after the Montreuil meeting where she had won the 2000m) a Paris-Rabat flight on June 12. However, continues the same source, on June 11, Alain Blondel suddenly informed Caster’s agent that the President of the Moroccan Athletics Federation did not want Caster to run, she claims. And, to add that, "frustrated by this injustice and this late rejection, Caster had no choice but to return to South Africa".

Moreover, against all expectations, on June 14, the Federation changed course again and told Caster’s agent that she was invited to run on June 16. By that time, the only flights to Rabat would have involved a 20-hour journey, which means that competing was rationally not possible for Caster, the statement continues.

In the camp of the South African athlete, it is concluded that this position of the Moroccan Federation can be understood by a desire not to displease the IAAF which is "playing a difficult game" on the issues of hyperandrogenism. Indeed, after the recent decision of the Swiss Federal Court to suspend, in a "super-provisional" manner, the IAAF regulation, only for her, Semenya can again run on her favorite distance, informs the same source.