Friday, 29 March, 2024
HomeMedico-LegalSemenya loses appeal against testosterone reduction

Semenya loses appeal against testosterone reduction

SA Olympic gold medallist Caster Semenya's appeal against having to take medication to reduce naturally high levels of testosterone has failed in the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland.

Semenya's lawyers said in a statement that the court had refused to set aside last year’s ruling by the Court of Arbitration allowing the female eligibility rules for all events from the 400m to the mile imposed by the sport’s world governing body‚ World Athletics.

The Herald reports the ruling means Semenya‚ the Olympic 800m champion in 2012 and 2016‚ will not be able to defend her title at the Tokyo Games next year without taking medication. Earlier this year, she competed in the 200m‚ where female athletes face no restrictions.

“The Swiss Supreme Court found that World Athletics’ requirement of subjecting certain female athletes to drug or surgical intervention as a precondition to compete in women’s 400m to 1,500m events does not amount to a violation of Swiss public policy‚” her lawyers said.

The statement said Semenya was considering her options‚ noting that the World Medical Association had called on doctors around the world to take no part in implementing the World Athletics regulations. Her South African-based lawyer‚ Greg Nott‚ said this was not the end of her fight‚ suggesting she could move her battle to Japan‚ the scene of the delayed 2020 Olympics.

[link url="http://herald.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/showarticle.aspx?article=66bce43a-2652-44ed-b622-008d55efb6be&key=3va2u5znc7dpWvqvljy9sQ%3d%3d&issue=81472020090900000000001001"]Full report in The Herald (subscription needed)[/link]

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