Semenya out of World Championships after Swiss court reverses reprieve
Caster Semenya has been dealt another setback
Keystone
Double Olympic champion Caster Semenya will not defend her 800-metres title at the World Championships in Doha in September after the Swiss Federal Court reversed a ruling that temporarily lifted testosterone regulations imposed on her, her spokesman says.
The South African athlete has naturally high testosterone levels.
“I am very disappointed to be kept from defending my hard-earned title, but this will not deter me from continuing my fight for the human rights of all of the female athletes concerned,” Semenya said in a statement from her representative.
The IAAF said it would only comment once it has read the full reasoning behind the judgement, expected on Wednesday.
Semenya’s hopes were lifted on June 3 when the Federal CourtExternal link granted her a temporary right to compete without medication until it ruled on her appeal.
The CAS had indicated that requiring athletes with DSD to take medication to lower testosterone levels was discriminatory but was a “necessary, reasonable and appropriate means” to maintain fair play for all.
The Federal Court’s decision on Tuesday will have wide-reaching consequences for gender politics and science and could set a precedent for all women’s sports, not just athletics.
Semenya could now appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, arguing a human rights violation.
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IAAF disputes Swiss court ruling on Semenya
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The International Association of Athletics FederationsExternal link (IAAF) issued a statementExternal link on Wednesday protesting that it had not been able to put its case to the Swiss Federal Court. The court on Tuesday issued a “superprovisional order” that lifted restrictions on the athlete competing until her appeal is heard in full. This order gives…
Swiss Federal Court: Semenya free to run without medication until appeal heard
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Swiss Federal Court has granted running champion Caster Semenya the right to compete without testosterone-reducing medication until appeal ruling.
Running champion Semenya loses in landmark gender case
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In a landmark judgment, a panel of three judges in Lausanne concluded that the IAAF – International Association of Athletics FederationsExternal link (IAAF) proposed rules on athletes with differences of sex development (DSD) were indeed discriminatory but “a necessary, reasonable and appropriate means” to maintain fair play for all. The Monaco-based IAAF expressed gratitude to the court and announced the…
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An appeal hearing is underway at the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport in a case with wide-reaching consequences for gender politics.
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