Johannesburg - Low-cost airline kulula (kulula.com) said on Thursday it had started a challenge in support of South African athlete Caster Semenya who is at the centre of a row over testosterone levels in female sports people.
Semenya is fighting to overturn International Association of Athletics Federations regulations which she says unfairly target female middle-distance runners like herself with naturally high testosterone levels.
South Africa's government and many locals have rallied in her support.
Kulula invited local companies, government departments, national sports teams, academic institutions and citizens to participate in a campaign for Semenya by making videos of themselves mimicking her signature victory pose after winning races and loading them on social media using the #WingsForCaster hashtag.
@caster800m our golden girl, our national champion, we love and support you. Mzansi, show your support by spreading your #WingsForCaster @Discovery_SA pic.twitter.com/q7sDSKYN0p
— kulula (@kulula) February 27, 2019
"Caster Semenya has long been flying the South African flag for us on a global stage, proving that an athlete from South Africa can obtain global success, break records and inspire the youth of South Africa," the airline's head of marketing Shaun Pozyn said.
"It is with this in mind, that our staff at kulula came together and decided to inspire her to stay proud and keep her head held high. We want to keep the momentum going and we would, therefore, like to challenge the rest of South Africa to use her “signature move” to show her that we are 100 percent behind her."
The airline has already made a video in support of one of South Africa's most successful athletes.