UN rights council blasts IAAF over testerone rules for female athletes

The UN Human Rights Council has condemned the IAAF's attempt to regulate the testosterone levels of female athletes, as nations unanimously backed the cause of South African runner Caster Semenya.

In a rare intrusion in the world of sport, the United Nations' top rights body has passed a resolution stating that the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) may be in breach of "international human rights norms and standards".

The South African-led resolution called on governments to ensure that sports organisations "refrain from developing and enforcing policies and practices that force, coerce or otherwise pressure women and girl athletes into undergoing unnecessary, humiliating and harmful medical procedures".

It was adopted by consensus by the council's 47 members on Thursday. South Africa's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Nozipho Joyce Mxakato-Diseko, told AFP she was "pleasantly delighted" the resolution was adopted by acclamation.

"It means that in essence all the members of the UN agree with us," Mxakato-Diseko said.

"Caster is a woman," the ambassador added.

"She cannot be told by anybody on the basis of ... dubious scientific evidence that she is not a woman."
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