Intersex athlete, Caster Semenya allowed to compete without medication after controversial IAAF ruling suspended

South African Olympic champion and intersex athlete, Caster Semenya will be allowed to compete without medication to limit her testosterone levels after the controversial IAAF ruling suspended.


Back in May, the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland ruled in favour of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to compel 'hyperandrogenic' athletes or those with 'differences of sexual development' (DSD) to lower their testosterone levels if they wished to compete as women.

The judgment was that female athlete such as Semenya must take testosterone suppressants like the contraceptive pill to stay under the permitted level to continue competing as a woman in any running event between the 400m and the mile. But the South African will now be allowed to compete without medication to limit her testosterone levels in 400m to 1500m races after she appealed successfully against the controversial IAAF change.

Following her successful appeal in front of the Swiss Supreme Court, Semenya said in a statement: 'I am thankful to the Swiss judges for this decision. 'I hope that following my appeal I will once again be able to run free.'

The IAAF have been given a deadline of June 25 to respond as the situation drags on.