Latest news with #CasterSemenya
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Track and field sets Sept. 1 deadline for female eligibility gene tests ahead of worlds in Tokyo
MONACO (AP) — Clarifying promised rules on female eligibility, track and field's governing body set a Sept. 1 deadline Wednesday for athletes to pass a gene test for competing at the world championships. World Athletics said in March it would require chromosome testing by cheek swabs or dry blood-spot tests for female athletes to be eligible for elite-level events. The next worlds open Sept. 13 in Tokyo and Sept. 1 is 'the closing date for entries and the date the regulations come into effect,' World Athletics said in a statement. The latest rules update gives certainty for the 2025 championships in an issue that has been controversial on the track and in multiple courts since Caster Semenya won her first 800 meters world title as a teenager in 2009. Semenya won a ruling at the European Court of Human Rights three weeks ago in Strasbourg, France, in the South Africa star's years-long challenge to a previous version of track and field's eligibility rules affecting athletes with medical conditions known as Differences in Sex Development. That legal win because she did not get a fair hearing at the Swiss supreme court did not overturn track's rules. World Athletics drew up rules in 2018 forcing two-time Olympic champion Semenya and other athletes with DSD to suppress their elevated natural testosterone levels to be eligible for international women's events. Semenya refused to take medication. Now, the Monaco-based track body requires a 'once-in-a-lifetime test' to determine athletes it says are biologically male with a Y chromosome. 'We are saying, at elite level, for you to compete in the female category, you have to be biologically female,' World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said. The governing body is covering up to $100 of the costs for each test with the protocol overseen by its member federations at national level. Test results should be ready within two weeks. 'The SRY test is extremely accurate and the risk of false negative or positive is extremely unlikely,' World Athletics said. World Athletics has combined its eligibility framework for DSD and transgender athletes, with transitional rules that let 'a very small number of known DSD athletes' continue competing if they are taking medication to suppress natural testosterone. 'The transitional provisions do not apply to transgender women as there are none competing at the elite international level under the current regulations,' World Athletics said. Now age 34, and her track career effectively over, Semenya should now see her legal case go back to the Swiss federal court in Lausanne, where she lost her original appeal against track and field's rules at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. ___ AP sports:
Associated Press
8 minutes ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Track and field sets Sept. 1 deadline for female eligibility gene tests ahead of worlds in Tokyo
MONACO (AP) — Clarifying promised rules on female eligibility, track and field's governing body set a Sept. 1 deadline Wednesday for athletes to pass a gene test for competing at the world championships. World Athletics said in March it would require chromosome testing by cheek swabs or dry blood-spot tests for female athletes to be eligible for elite-level events. The next worlds open Sept. 13 in Tokyo and Sept. 1 is 'the closing date for entries and the date the regulations come into effect,' World Athletics said in a statement. The latest rules update gives certainty for the 2025 championships in an issue that has been controversial on the track and in multiple courts since Caster Semenya won her first 800 meters world title as a teenager in 2009. Semenya won a ruling at the European Court of Human Rights three weeks ago in Strasbourg, France, in the South Africa star's years-long challenge to a previous version of track and field's eligibility rules affecting athletes with medical conditions known as Differences in Sex Development. That legal win because she did not get a fair hearing at the Swiss supreme court did not overturn track's rules. World Athletics drew up rules in 2018 forcing two-time Olympic champion Semenya and other athletes with DSD to suppress their elevated natural testosterone levels to be eligible for international women's events. Semenya refused to take medication. Now, the Monaco-based track body requires a 'once-in-a-lifetime test' to determine athletes it says are biologically male with a Y chromosome. 'We are saying, at elite level, for you to compete in the female category, you have to be biologically female,' World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said. The governing body is covering up to $100 of the costs for each test with the protocol overseen by its member federations at national level. Test results should be ready within two weeks. 'The SRY test is extremely accurate and the risk of false negative or positive is extremely unlikely,' World Athletics said. World Athletics has combined its eligibility framework for DSD and transgender athletes, with transitional rules that let 'a very small number of known DSD athletes' continue competing if they are taking medication to suppress natural testosterone. 'The transitional provisions do not apply to transgender women as there are none competing at the elite international level under the current regulations,' World Athletics said. Now age 34, and her track career effectively over, Semenya should now see her legal case go back to the Swiss federal court in Lausanne, where she lost her original appeal against track and field's rules at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. ___ AP sports:
IOL News
16-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Caster Semenya's court victory: A beacon of hope for future athletes, says former SA Olympian
Caster Semenya's recent court victory against World Athletics' testosterone-lowering regulations has been celebrated as a significant milestone in her ongoing fight against discrimination, inspiring future athletes and highlighting her lasting impact on South African sports. Picture: Phill Magakoe/AFP Following Caster Semenya's court win last week, which ruled that the athlete did not have a fair trial on whether she should have to lower her testosterone levels, it has been seen as something of a milestone achievement. Semenya's career was effectively cut short in 2018, once she was required to take testosterone-lowering medication to be eligible to compete. Since then, Semenya has fought the World Athletics ruling and gone to various courts to plead her case. Semenya had also hoped the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) would rule that she had been the victim of discrimination in one of her legal tactics, but was unsuccessful.
eNCA
12-07-2025
- Sport
- eNCA
Semenya's legal team to consider options following victory at European court of Human Rights
JOHANNESBURG - Caster Semenya's legal team is considering the way forward for the two-time Olympic Champion. READ: Caster Semenya | Semenya's right to a fair hearing violated This follows a European Court of Human Rights ruling which said Semenya was unfairly treated in her case against World Athletics at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Upon his return from France, Semenya's lawyer spoke exclusively to eNCA's Thabiso Sithole about the journey they've travelled to get justice.
IOL News
12-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
CGE hails Caster Semenya's court victory as a pivotal moment for human rights in sport
Caster Semenya won in a landmark ruling in Switzerland. Image: File The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has welcomed the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights judgment that found that South African Olympian Caster Semenya was denied a fair trial by Switzerland's legal system. In a 15-to-two decision, the Grand Chamber ruled on Thursday that the Swiss Federal Supreme Court did not sufficiently review Semenya's appeal. This appeal was against the 2019 decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which had upheld World Athletics' differences in sex development (DSD) regulations. This signifies a major turning point in her continuing legal struggle against rules that mandate athletes with differences in sex development to medically change their inherent hormone levels for competitive purposes. Semenya was awarded €80,000 (about R1.6 million) in legal costs by the court, despite not having sought damages. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading This decision, while not directly overturning the DSD regulations, paves the way for further legal challenges and increased scrutiny of how national courts address arbitration decisions concerning fundamental human rights. Javu Baloyi, spokesperson for the CGE, stated that the commission's monitoring role of international instruments, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and Maputo protocols, is mandated by the CGE Act 39 of 1996, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, and the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (PEPUDA). 'The CGE believes that it is important that state parties intentionally commit to eliminating discriminatory practices against women at all levels of society,' he said. The commission stated that this case was a test of how effective these instruments are and how the courts consider them in the advancement of gender equality. The CGE has played a critical role in this matter and has further lobbied for support both nationally and internationally, said Baloyi. 'We noted and welcome the judgment as it confirms that a right to a fair trial was infringed. We believe that a fair trial would have vigorously reaffirmed that the regulations are a form of unfair discriminatory practice that violates the right to dignity, equality, and bodily integrity, among others,' said Baloyi. According to Baloyi, from this ruling, the court succinctly pointed out that the limitation of Semenya's rights is based not on existing law but rather on the regulations of a sporting body.. 'Sporting bodies must develop regulations that seek to promote inclusivity and not discriminate unfairly against any person based on their gender.' Baloyi said the CGE would be engaging Athletics South Africa (ASA), South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), and other stakeholders in ensuring Semenya's rights and that of athletes with DSD are allowed to participate in sport both locally and internationally are affirmed. The CGE will continue to heighten activism against the World Athletics regulations that are discriminatory, he added. 'The CGE will draw lessons from this case and continue to influence and determine how to tackle gender discourse at the national, regional, and international levels.'
