Caster Semenya Ends Seven-Year Legal Fight Over Athletics Gender Rules

Caster Semenya, the South African two-time Olympic 800-meter champion, has ended her seven-year legal battle against World Athletics' sex eligibility rules that have barred her from competing since 2019. Despite a favorable ruling in July by the European Court of Human Rights, which found that Semenya had not received a fair hearing at the Swiss Federal Tribunal and opened the door for further appeals, her legal team has confirmed they will not pursue additional challenges. Semenya, born with a difference in sex development (DSD) and high testosterone levels, has argued that the regulations infringe on her rights, but previous appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the Swiss Federal Tribunal were unsuccessful. The restrictions forced Semenya to stop competing at the highest level and shift into coaching, effectively ending her athletic career. Her case has sparked global debate about gender eligibility and the role of testosterone in sports, with ongoing discussions and reforms in sports law regarding genetic testing and hormone regulations. World Athletics maintains that high testosterone provides an unfair advantage in female competitions, a point contested amid the broader conversation on equality in sport.