*Switzerland’s supreme court has dismissed the appeal of two-time Olympic champion Caster Semenya against track and field’s rules that limit the naturally high testosterone levels in female runners.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled last year that Semenya would have to take testosterone-reducing drugs in order to compete professionally.
Semenya was born with XY chromosomes, making her testosterone levels three times that of an average woman.
“The CAS had the right to uphold the conditions of participation issued for female athletes with the genetic variant ’46 XY DSD’ in order to guarantee fair competition for certain running disciplines in female athletics,” the Swiss court said.
As reported by ESPN, “the ruling means Semenya cannot defend her Olympic 800-meter title at the Tokyo Games next year, or compete at any top meets in distances from 400 meters to the mile, unless she agrees to lower her testosterone level through medication or surgery,” the outlet writes.
READ MORE: Double Olympic Champ Caster Semenya Reveals She ‘Never Felt Supported’ by Women in Sports
Double Olympic champion Caster Semenya says she never felt supported by other women. Read more: https://t.co/G5Rb40dYOw pic.twitter.com/X5woqAkzi9
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 15, 2019
Here’s more from DW.com:
World Athletics (until recently known as the IAAF) wants to introduce a testosterone limit of five nanomoles per liter for athletes competing in international events between 400 meters and a mile.
Women who have higher values would be required to lower their levels them by taking hormonal-suppressing medication — such as birth-control pills — over a minimum period of six months prior to competition.
Semenya is born with the “46 XY” chromosome rather than the XX chromosome of most females. She is classified as a woman, was raised as a woman and races as a woman, but World Athletics and some of her opponents argue that her unusual biology gives her a competitive advantage.
According to the ruling, the court wants Semenya to lower her testosterone level via birth control pills, or having testosterone-blocking injections, or undergoing surgery.
“I am very disappointed by this ruling, but refuse to let World Athletics drug me or stop me from being who I am,” Semenya said. “Excluding female athletes or endangering our health solely because of our natural abilities puts World Athletics on the wrong side of history.”
The Swiss Federal Tribunal said Semenya’s appeal “essentially alleges a violation of the prohibition of discrimination.”
Reacting to the verdict, Semenya said: “I will continue to fight for the human rights of female athletes, both on the track and off the track, until we can all run free the way we were born. I know what is right and will do all I can to protect basic human rights, for young girls everywhere.”
Greg Nott, Semenya’s lawyer in South Africa, said her international legal team are “considering the judgment and the options to challenge the findings in European and domestics courts.”
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