Athletics South Africa have voiced their disappointment at a press release issued by the IAAF on Monday in which the world athletics governing body disclosed the names of expert witnesses it plans to call before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), despite both parties having been bound to confidentiality undertakings.
“This is in clear violation of the confidentiality undertaking made to CAS and in ASA’s view, these amounts to underhand tactics to try and win support for their views in the court of public opinion,” ASA said in a press release.
“Both ASA and Caster Semenya raised their objections before the CAS panel this morning and the CAS panel directed that ASA and Semenya may issue a Press Statement similar to the one issued by the IAAF.
“ASA will in due course be making a more comprehensive disclosure of its experts’ views on the issues at hand to enable the public to be made aware of our various role players in this case and their fields of expertise who will counter the expert evidence to be tendered by the IAAF.
“The arbitration proceedings are subject to strict confidentiality provisions and this information should not have been released.
“ASA and Semenya believe the IAAF breach of the confidentiality provisions, was orchestrated mindful that ASA and Semenya would not be prepared to respond because they were complying with the confidentiality obligations.”
ASA said they are grateful to CAS for having given them and Semenya permission to disclose their own list of experts publicly as well.
“Going forward CAS has reiterated that the arbitration proceedings are confidential and information about the case should not be disclosed publicly.
"We trust the IAAF will now respect the process and comply accordingly,” concluded ASA.
