South African Olympic champion Caster Semenya notched a victory this week when Europe’s top human rights court ruled she was not given a fair hearing in her legal challenge against World Athletics eligibility rules that have barred her from competing since 2019.
Semenya, who was born with differences of sex development (DSD), has been unable to compete under World Athletics rules that restrict testosterone levels for female track and field events as hers were above the threshold.
The verdict comes too late for 34-year-old Semenya, now a coach, to resurrect her own track career but marks a crucial moment in her long and closely watched legal battle. “It’s about human rights,” the two-time 800m Olympic gold medalist told BBC Sport. “It’s about the protection of the athletes. My role is to become a voice for those who cannot speak out.”