Skip to main content
Read a text description of this video

Annet Negesa, UGANDAN RUNNER


South Korea was my first World Championship. I was very, very happy to go on with the sport and going to another level.

 

Preparing for London Olympics // me, plus my coach, // we were working very hard // so that our dreams come true. Because our dream was to reach the finals. As long as we reached to the finals, anything can happen then.

 

Some few weeks to the departure for the London Olympics that’s the time when I received a call from my international manager telling me // my blood sample, they're having some problem, technical problem and you can't go for the competition.

 

Annet’s natural testosterone level was higher than the regulated range for women athletes.

 

My local officials from my federation told me me that // you have to stay at home, not moving. And if anyone asks you tell them that you have an injury, whereby I was a person who was injury free, I was very normal, I wasn't sick.

 

One official from the IAAF [International Association of Athletics Federations] // he tried to reach me and after some few weeks I think, they had me travel to Nice for a body checkup. Like measuring my whole body and putting me to a machine, just like scanning my whole body and getting more other blood samples from me.

 

I was something which was really confused. // Like as if there were people who were not talking straight to you telling you that this and this is like this, but just telling you do this, do this, do this.

 

Later in Kampala, Annet underwent a procedure that she thought would mean she could run again.

 

Going to the doctor with an executive from the [national] federation because she was with me, escorting me, going to the hospital, they took me to the operation room. // And they said that they are going to use the injection thing, whereby by waking up // I'm finding myself I'm having cuts. //

 

I said, whoa! They have done something which we didn't agree on. And really, I was so scared.

 

Annet’s internal sex organs had been removed.

 

The procedure is irreversible and causes sterilization.

 

The people who are there with me, taking me to the hospital, who wanted me to do such. After the operation, no one come back to me to see what really... No one came in to do a follow-up.

 

No one explained to me what's really the truth. It something which was just… Making me to go in their trap. I call it trap because it was a trap.

 

Took me seven years without nothing. As in, they didn't give me straight information that after the surgery, you have to go for hormone therapy throughout the whole of your life. // Really that was so hard on me. // For seven years no one's coming to look for you, for seven new years no one is minding to know where you are. It was really a strange life.

 

As soon as you pass here, you start slowing down the pace.

Sort of focus on the stride length.

Okay.

Keep the body moving, you know what I mean? That you feel that the body is moving at the same pace.

 

Testosterone regulations in sport cause significant harm and disproportionately impact women from the Global South.

 

Why are they focusing too much to people of the Southern continent? That shows that [there’s] discriminating and racism in the sport. Because all of us we are human beings, and we are females. What I can say, let them stop taking people's or playing on people's bodies. Making people to be guinea pigs and doing their research on human beings and violating human rights.

 

My dream at first was taken away from me. But with God, I trust that it will come back to me. And now I came back for training and I’m already in the process. I’m working for it again.

 

I have to fight for my dream. I have to fight for it. That's my future now. I'm focusing on my dream, which was taken away [by] the IAAF regulations.

  • Wanariadha wa kike kutoka mataifa yanayoendelea, wanalengwa na kudhuriwa na masharti ya kupima jinsia yao.
  • Hali ya wanawake kuchunguzwa kuambatana na masharti yaliyowekwa hivi kwamba hapa na pale wanalazimishwa kufanyiwa uchunguzi wa kitabibu yaweza kutajwa kuwa mojawapo ya njia za kudhibiti mwili wa mwanamke. Hali hiyo inatokana na namna ambavyo mwanamke huchukuliwa katika jamii nyingi huku akisingiziwa mambo mengi yanayoletwa na imani potofu zisizo na msingi kisayansi.
  • Mashirika yanayosimamia michezo – yakiwemo Shirika la Riadha Duniani (WA) na Kamati ya Olimpiki ya Kimataifa (IOC) – yafaa kuyaondoa masharti mengi yanayotoa nafasi kwa uchunguzi wa kimatibabu kufanyiwa wanariadha wa kike kabla wakubaliwe kushiriki riadha.

(Geneva) – Wanariadha wa kike wanaoshiriki mbio na michezo mingine, wengi wakiwa wa kutoka mataifa yanayoendelea, wamekuwa wakidhulumiwa na kudhuriwa kwa masharti ya kupima jinsia yao, Shirika la Human Rights Watch limesema kwenye ripoti iliyotolewa leo. Masharti yaliyopo yanawalenga wanawake wanaokimbia mbio za kati ya mita 400 na maili moja. Masharti hayo yanawalazimisha wafanyiwe uchunguzi wa afya na kupimwa hali yao ya jinsia la sivyo waondolewe mashindanoni.

Ripoti hiyo yenye kurasa 120 iitwayo, “‘Wanatufukuza michezoni: Ukiukaji wa haki kwenye taratibu za kuwapima jinsia wanariadha wa kike,” inaelezea dhuluma walizopitia zaidi ya wanawake 12 wanariadha kutoka mataifa yanayoendelea. Wanariadha hao wameathirika kwa masharti ya kupima jinsia yao kubaini iwapo ni wa kike haswa au wana homoni nyingi za kiume kuzidi viwango. Shirika la Human Rights watch limepata kwamba masharti ya kimataifa yanayotoa nafasi kwa ubaguzi, ufwatiliaji na uchunguzi wa afya wa kulazimishiwa wanariadha wa kike unasababisha madhara ya kimwili, kisaikolojia huku ukileta changamoto za kiuchumi. Kamati ya Olimpiki ya Kimataifa (IOC) ambayo ndio chombo kikuu cha michezo kimataifa inaandaa kanuni zitakazoshughulikia ukiukaji wa haki za kibinadamu unaosababishwa na sera za uchunguzi wa afya unaofanyiwa wanariadha.


“Shirika la Riadha Duniani (WA) kwa miaka mingi limewalenga wanariadha wa kike kutoka mataifa yanayoendelea huku likiwachukulia wale wenye homoni nyingi za kiume kana kwamba sio wanadamu,”  asema Payoshni Mitra, msomi wa maswala ya riadha, mtetezi wa haki za wanariadha. “Masharti haya yanawadunisha wanawake, huwafanya wakose kujiamini, huku yakiwalazimishia uchunguzi wa afya kwa kushiriki michezoni. Michezo ya kisasa yafaa kuanza kubadilishwa ili ianze kuwaalika watu wa namna nyingi, iondolewe mapungufu mengi ili isiwe ya kuendeleza ubaguzi wa namna nyingi.”

Shirika la Human Rights Watch limeshirikiana na wasomi Payoshni Mitra na Katrina Karkazis kufanya utafiti mwaka wa 2019. Human Rights Watch imewahoji wanariadha walioathirika, makocha, na maafisa wengine wakiwemo wataalamu wa maswala mengi yanayohusiana na swala hili. Vilevile Human Rights Watch imepitia stakabadhi za kesi zilizowasilishwa mahakamani kuhusu swala hili na stakabadhi za uchunguzi wa afya.

Kwa miaka mingi mashirika ya kusimamia michezo yametumia masharti yanayotaka uchunguzi wa afya, kupima jinsia na kuwatenga wanawake kushiriki katika michezo. Masharti hayo huwalenga wanariadha wa kike wenye maumbile yaliyo tofauti na wanawake wengine kuashiria kwamba wana homoni nyingi za kiume. Masharti hayo huwanyima fursa wanawake kama hao hasa kukimbia mbio za kati ya mita 400 na maili moja, hadi watakapokubali kufanyiwa uchunguzi wa afya na kupima jinsia hatua inayokiuka haki zao za kimsingi. Taratibu hizi zinakiuka haki za kimsingi za mtu kuwa na mambo yake ya faragha, haki za mtu kuwa na afya nzuri, na haki ya kutobaguliwa. Wanawake kutoka mataifa yanayoendelea akiwemo mwanariadha wa kike kutoka India Dutee Chand na Caster Semenya wa kutoka Afrika Kusini wameathirika pakubwa kwa masharti haya.

Annet Negesa mwanariadha wa Uganda, anaishikilia picha yake ya kushiriki mashindano ya dunia yaliyofanyika jijini Daegu nchini Korea Kusini mwaka 2011. Negesa alilengwa chini ya masharti ya kupima jinsia na kuagizwa kufanyiwa upasuaji usiohitajika mwaka 2012. © 2020 Cagla Dincer, Shirika la Human Rights Watch


Ili kuwapata wale wanaolengwa na masharti, maafisa wa mashirika ya michezo huwaweka wanariadha wote wa kike kwenye uchunguzi wa afya ambapo miili yao inafanyiwa ukaguzi waziwazi bila faragha huku wakiwataka wale wenye maumbile yanayotia shaka kupimwa jinsia kwa njia zenye dhuluma na zisizomheshimu mtu. Taratibu hizo zinaweza kutajwa kuwa za kudhibiti miili ya wanawake na zinaletwa na imani potofu kuhusu namna mwanamke anavyofaa kuwa. Vilevile huchangiwa na ubaguzi wa rangi ya ngozi. Hapajakuwa na kithibitisho cha kisayansi cha kubaini kwamba wanawake wenye kiwango cha juu cha homoni za kiume wanaweza kuwa na nguvu nyingi katika riadha. Na licha ya kuwa miongoni mwa wanaume kuna viwango vinavyotofautiana vya homoni za kiume. Hapajakuwa na masharti mengi ya kuwakagua wanaume jinsi inavyofanyika miongoni mwa wanariadha wa kike.

Wanawake waliohojiwa na Shirika la Human Rights Watch wanasema hukabiliwa na maswali magumu wakati wa ukaguzi huku wakiulizwa maswali yanayowaibisha. Wanasema baadhi hupigwa marufuku kushiriki michezo. Wao huondolewa tu hata kama kushiriki kwao michezoni ndio njia yao ya kujipatia riziki maishani. Athari imekuwa ni baadhi yao kujaribu kujiuwa. Mwanariadha aliyepimwa jinsia yake na kupigwa marufuku alisema: “Nilitaka kujua matokeo…. Nilitaka kujua mimi ni nani? Mbona mnanipima? Hawawapimi wanawake wengine…. Nilitaka kujua ni kwanini wamenipeleka hospitalini na kunivua nguo.”

Mbali na masharti hayo kuvuruga haki za kimsingi za wanaolengwa, athari zinazotokana na namna ambavyo masharti hayo hutekelezwa huathiri walengwa hata baada ya kuondoka katika sekta ya michezo. Kufanikiwa michezoni kunaweza kumpa mwanamke husika manufaa ya kifedha. Aidha manufaa yapo mengi yakianza na usomi wa riadha na michezo mingine au kujipatia nyumba na chakula. Ni manufaa yanayoweza kumjia mhusika mapema na kumwezesha ajivumbulie riziki mapema hata katika fani isiyokuwa michezo. Wanariadha wengi tuliowahoji walilelewa katika umaskini. Kwa hivyo ufanisi wao katika riadha umekuwa ndilo tegemeo lao na familia zao. Bila shaka hatua ya kuwapiga marufuku baadhi yao michezoni imewaathiri vibaya na vilevile kuathiri familia zao kifedha.

Wataalamu wa afya, watetezi wa haki za kibinadamu, na wanariadha wengine mara kadhaa  wamekuwa wakikosoa  masharti hayo. Kwenye  ripoti ya mwaka 2020, afisi ya Kamishna wa Haki za Binadamu wa Umoja wa Mataifa ilipendekeza kwamba masharti ya kupima jinsia ya wanariadha wa kike yakomeshwe mara moja. Shirika la Madaktari duniani (WMA)  limependekeza kwamba  madaktari wote kote duniani wasitii masharti ya mashirika ya michezo kwa kuwa yanakwenda kinyume na kanuni za udaktari.

Mwaka 2019, wanariadha 25 wa kike kutoka nchini Ufaransa walituma  waraka uliosambazwa kwa umma kwa rais wa Shirika la Riadha duniani Sebastian Coe, rais wa Kamati ya Kimataifa ya Olimpiki (IOC), Thomas Bach, vilevile waliwatumia mawaziri wa Afya na Michezo kote duniani, wakisema, “Wanawake hawa ni wanadamu na ni wanariadha wa daraja la juu kama sisi. Tunasikitikia yale wanayopitia wakiwa wanariadha maana wanapenda fani zao jinsi sisi tunavyozipenda pia na kuheshimu kanuni zake. Afya yao imo hatarini na mustakabali wao katika michezo na maisha umo matatani. Sura ya riadha kwa mara nyingine tena imepakwa tope. Haki za kimsingi na heshima za kibinadamu zimevurugwa.”

Waziri wa michezo nchini Ufaransa Roxana Maracineanu, alipokea waraka huo na kusema , “Tuna wanawake wanaoshindana wenye nguvu kuliko wanawake wenzao, kunao wanaume wanaoshindana wenye nguvu kuliko wanaume wenzao, ni kanuni ya michezo kwamba yule bora zaidi ndiye hushinda. Kwa hivyo sielewi kwa nini michezoni iwe kwamba miongoni mwa wanariadha wa kiume, wamo wanaume kama Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Ian Thorpe na wengine na wanaruhusiwa kuwa kifua mbele ya wenzao hata kuwashinda lakini miongoni mwa wanawake, wanariadha wa kike wenye nguvu zaidi hawana haki ya kuwa kifua mbele ya wenzao. Hali ikiwa hivyo malalamiko kuibuka kwamba homoni zao zina kasoro.”

“Masharti haya yanapata nguvu kutoka kwenye imani potofu kuhusu homoni za kiume, baiolojia, na mijadala ya jinsia, huku zikishirikisha mitazamo asili kuhusu namna mwanamke anafaa kulindwa kuashiria kwamba wanariadha wa kike yafaa wadhibitiwe. Masharti haya yamekuwa yakisababisha madhara mengi dhidi ya wanawake wa kutoka mataifa yanayoendelea,” asema Profesa Katrina Karkazis, mhadhiri wa maswala ya wanawake na jinsia katika chuo kikuu cha Emory  ambaye pia no mshirika katika shirika la haki za afya kimataifa la Yale (Yale Global Health Justice Initiative). “Masharti hayo yanadhuru kwa kuwa msingi wake unatokana na imani za ubaguzi wa kijinsia – kwamba wanariadha wa kike ni wa daraja la chini kuliko wenzao wa kiume kwa hivyo yafaa tuandae masharti magumu michezoni kuwalenga wanawake kwa lengo la kuwalinda.Tatizo ni kwamba ugumu huu wa masharti umeshindwa kuwalinda wanawake; badala yake umekuwa ukiwaathiri vibaya.”

Sekta nzima ya kimataifa ya michezo inaongozwa kupitia mfumo unoshirikisha mataifa kadhaa, kanda na kanuni za kimataifa. Vilevile unayajumuisha mashirika na taasisi nyingi za serikali na zisizo za serikali yakiwemo mashirika ya kusimamia michezo katika nchi mbali mbali. Mashirika hayo yana njia zao za kushughulikia maswala ya haki za binadamu. Nayo mashirika ya michezo duniani yana jukumu la kusimamia michezo kote duniani.

Serikali nyingi duniani siku hizi zimejitolea kuhakikisha usawazishaji baina ya jinsia na kukomesha ubaguzi dhidi ya wanawake. Serikali zina jukumu la kulinda haki za wanariadha wanaoziwakilisha nchi zao katika mashindano ya nje na vilevile kushindana katika nchi zao. Viwango vya haki za binadamu vyafaa kuwalenga watu wote. Sera zinazoidhinisha ubaguzi, kama hizo za kuwapima jinsia wanariadha wa kike bila shaka zinakwenda kinyume na azma ya kujitolea ya Shirika la Olimpiki ambalo lina jukumu la kuhakikisha zipo heshima kwa wote na usawazishaji baina ya wahusika wote michezoni, Shirika la Human Rights Watch limesema.

 

Kuhakikisha kwamba upo usawa na haki mashindanoni ni mojawapo ya wajibu muhimu wa wasimamizi wa michezo kote; kukiuka haki za binadamu wakati wa kutekeleza taratibu za kikazi michezoni bila shaka ni kukiuka haki.

Shirika la Riadha Duniani (WA) linapaswa kukomesha masharti hayo. Kamati ya Olimpiki ya Kimataifa (IOC) pia ambayo ndiyo mamlaka ya juu kwenye michezo ya kimataifa, yafaa pia kuhakikisha kanuni za ratiba ya Olimpiki ikiwemo kanuni ya Nne (4) imetekelezwa. Kanuni hiyo inasema “kila mtu anafaa kupewa nafasi ya kuhusika katika michezo bila ubaguzi wa namna yoyote,” Nayo kanuni ya Sita (6), inasema kwamba “Haki ya mtu kufurahia uhuru uliopo kwenye ratiba ya Olimpiki italindwa bila ubaguzi wa namna yoyote ile iwe ubaguzi wa rangi, jinsia, mahusiano ya kimapenzi, lugha ya mtu, dini, misimamo ya kisiasa au kauli za mtu kwenye maswala mbali mbali, asili na uraia wake, mahusiano yake ya kijamii , mali aliyo nayo, kuzaliwa au chanzo chake ama hali zake nyingine zozote.”

Kamati ya Olimpiki ya kimataifa - IOC, yafaa kukiri waziwazi kwamba upo ubaguzi kwa misingi ya rangi na jinsia kwenye masharti ya uchunguzi wa afya na kupima jinsia ya wanariadha. Yafaa kamati hiyo iyaondoe masharti yanayotaka kwamba wanariadha wa kike wapitie taratibu hizo kabla kukubaliwa kushiriki michezo.

“Hatua ya kuwakagua kuwafuatilia na kuwaondoa wanariadha wa kike kwa sababu ya viwango vya homoni katika miili yao, masharti ya Shirika la Riadha Duniani (WA) yanaendeleza unyanyapaa, imani zisizo na msingi wa kisayansi huku zikiendeleza ubaguzi dhidi ya wanawake,” asema mtafiti mkuu wa maswala ya haki za wanawake katika Shirika la Human Rights Watch Agnes Odhiambo,  “Kulazimishwa kupitia uchunguzi wa afya kunashusha hadhi ya mtu na kumkosesha heshima. Vilevile ni utaratibu usio na msingi kimatibabu. Kuwachagua wanariadha kwa kuzingatia njia za uchunguzi kama huo kunaashiria tabia ya kudhibiti miili ya wanawake ambayo inatokana na imani potofu katika jamii kuwahusu wanawake.”

Nakala za mahojiano na baadhi ya waathiriwa:

“[Afisa wa shirika aliniambia] kwamba nahitaji kumeza dawa. Alisema shirika la IAAF linataka kupata habari zote kunihusu na pia kwamba nimeze dawa halafu nifanyiwe upasuaji.”
            — D.B., mwanariadha aliyepimwa jinsia yake na kuondolewa michezoni kuambatana na masharti ya Shirika la Riadha Duniani (WA)

“Daktari aliniuliza maswali kuhusu maisha yangu halafu akanifanyia uchunguzi wa kimwili. Aliangalia kifua changu, sehemu zangu za siri, hata ndani ya sehemu hizo, akauliza iwapo ninapata hedhi, je nina mpenzi wa kike au wa kiume.”
            — P.H., mwanariadha aliyepimwa jinsia yake na kuondolewa kwenye mashindano kuambatana na masharti ya Shirika la Riadha Duniani (WA).

“Wakati wa kupima, walikuwa wakizungumza kumhusu [mwanariadha aliyekuwa amepimwa]. Hawakusema lolote kuhusu sifa za mwanariadha huyo zilizomfanya awe mbele ya wenzake au kumpa uwezo wa kuwa mbele zaidi ya wenzake. Na wakasema watanipokonya medali zangu jinsi walivyomfanyia mwanariadha mwingine awali. Wakasema iwapo nitajiondoa mashindanoni basi hawatalazimika kuchukua hatua zozote. Lakini iwapo nitaendelea basi watanipokonya kila kitu. Sikuelewa yale walikuwa wakiyasema. Nilishangaa nikajiuliza: homoni za kiume ndio nini? … Sikuelewa ni kwanini homoni za kiume ni muhimu jinsi hii.”
            — P.F., mwanariadha aliyepimwa jinsia na kuondolewa mashindanoni chini ya masharti ya Shirika la Riadha Duniani (WA).

“Mimi nimekwisha – hakuna kocha atakubali kunifunza; hakuna kazi. Hata singekula.”
            — J.G., mwanariadha akielezea athari za kupigwa marufuku.

“Kwa Shirikla la Riadha Duniani (WA) kuagiza kwamba wanariadha hawa wanafaa kumeza dawa za kupunguza viwango vya homoni za kiume, dawa ambazo zina madhara yake, ni kuwadhulumu wanariadha hao. Agizo kama hilo, kwa mtizamo wangu finyu, ni sawa na kukubali utumiaji wa dawa zilizopigwa marufuku michezoni. Ni sawa na utumiaji dawa marufuku kwa lazima – ni kama kurasimisha matumizi ya dawa zilizopigwa marufuku.”
            — J.Q., kocha wa wanariadha kadhaa wa kike walioathirika kwa masharti ya Shirika la Riadha Duniani (WA) ya kupima jinsia.

“Kwenye mazungumzo yetu na mgonjwa, naweza kusema kwamba nilichoona ni kwamba hakuelewa au hata hakujua kile alichokuwa amefanyiwa. Hakujua vipi atakavyoweza kupata matibabu ya hapo baadaye au kujitunza vipi au hata kujua athari za utaratibu aliokuwa amepitia.”
            — Dr. Thomas Seppel, daktari nchini Ujerumani aliyemfanyia uchunguzi mwanariadha wa kike kutoka mataifa yanayoendelea aliyekuwa amepitia aina ya tiba za  homoni ili angalau akubaliwe kushiriki riadha chini ya masharti ya Shirika la Riadha Duniani (WA).

 

Your tax deductible gift can help stop human rights violations and save lives around the world.

Region / Country
Topic