Two-time Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya was “elated” to win her appeal to the European Court of Human Rights as she continues to contest rules placing testosterone limits on women’s track and field events.
“It has been a long time coming,” Semenya said in a statement. “I have and will always stand up for discrimination of any kind in sports. I have suffered a lot at the hands of the powers that be and been treated poorly. The hard work that I have put in to being the athlete I am has been questioned. My rights violated. My career impacted. All of it is so damaging. Mentally, emotionally, physically and financially.”
As Semenya noted, Tuesday’s human rights court decision was not against World Athletics, but against the government of Switzerland after a Swiss court denied her previous appeal of a 2019 ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which is based in Switzerland.
World Athletics rules remain in place capping testosterone levels in all women’s events, which excludes athletes with differences in sexual development (DSD), including Semenya, unless they undergo testosterone-suppressing measures.
“Justice has spoken but this is only the beginning,” Semenya said. “This decision will still be significant for all sportspersons in throwing doubt on the future of all similar rules.”
World Athletics said Tuesday that it will contact the Swiss government and seek a referral to the European Court of Human Rights grand chamber for a final decision.
“We remain of the view that DSD regulations are a necessary, reasonable and proportionate means of protecting fair competition in the female category,” World Athletics said.
