Semenya’s challenge to testosterone rule probed by CAS

The CAS has opened a probe into Caster Semenya's challenge to the controversial testosterone rule imposed by the IAAF.

South Africa’s Caster Semenya won her first Commonwealth medal with victory in the women’s 1,500m.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said Tuesday it had opened a probe into Caster Semenya’s challenge of controversial new IAAF rules on testosterone occurring in female athletes.

CAS said it had “registered a request for arbitration” filed by the South African two-time Olympic gold medallist against the “International Association of Athletics Federations’ (IAAF) eligibility regulations for female classification (athletes with differences of sex development) that are due to come into effect on November 1, 2018”.

Semenya, CAS said, sought a “ruling from CAS to declare such regulations unlawful and to prevent them from being brought into force. An arbitration procedure has been opened”.

Yesterday, the Citizen reported CAS said it had not yet received Semenya’s appeal.

The IAAF announced its new rules, aimed at primarily at woman athletes who naturally produce unusually high levels of testosterone in April, arguing hyperandrogynous competitors enjoyed an unfair advantage.

Athletes classified as “hyperandrogynous”, such as Semenya, will have to chemically lower their testosterone levels to 5 nanomoles a litre of blood to be eligible to run any international race of 400 metres up to the mile.

Semenya, who has undergone several sex tests since her first title in 2009, has called the rules discriminatory, adding they violate the IAAF’s constitution and the Olympic Charter.

The 27-year-old has been at the centre of debate because of her powerful physique, one of the effects of hyperandrogenism, which causes those affected to produce high levels of male sex hormones.

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