Caster Semenya Gets Temporary Win As New IAAF Testosterone Rules Are Suspended

By Adam Kopet

The Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland has temporarily suspended the the new IAAF regulations that govern testosterone levels in athletes with differences in sexual development (DSD) and their ability to compete in events ranging from 400 meters through the mile, according to Liam Morgan of Inside the Games.

Caster Semenya, the two-time Olympic champion from South Africa, filed an appeal to the Swiss Court over last month's decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to uphold the new IAAF regulations. Semenya had challenged the rules that would require her to artificially lower her natural testosterone levels to continue competing in her primary event, the 800 meters.

The Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland has jurisdiction over the Switzerland-based CAS.

The court has suspended the regulations until June 25 to give the IAAF time to respond. The full decision by the court is likely to take six months. If the IAAF response is not found to be satisfactory by the Court, the suspension of the regulations would likely continue until the Court's final decision. That would likely allow Semenya to attempt to defend her world title from 2017 in Doha at the end of the season.

The suspension will presumably apply to other DSD athletes.