Caster Semenya

Strasbourg, France, July 12 (PL) - South African athlete Caster Semenya declared herself happy but unsatisfied today, a day after the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in her favor, which found that she was a victim of discrimination.

Justice has spoken but this is only the beginning, said the 32-year-old runner, who turned to the ECHR after the Swiss judiciary upheld in 2020 a decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport validating a regulation of the international athletics federation (World Athletics) that deprived her of the right to compete.

According to the French court, Switzerland violated in particular Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, concerning the prohibition of discrimination, and Article 8, which protects the right to respect for private life.

In a decision taken by a narrow majority of four judges against three, the ECtHR found it a violation for the middle-distance runner to be banned from certain competitions for refusing hormone treatment to lower her testosterone levels.

Semenya called the decision 'decisive' because it 'calls into question the future of all similar rules'.

My hope is that World Athletics, and thereafter all sports organizations, will take note of the ECtHR decision and ensure that the dignity and human rights of athletes are respected, said the double Olympic 800m champion in a statement.

Last March, World Athletics decreed that athletes must keep their testosterone level below 2.5 nanomoles per liter for 24 months to participate in the women's category, whatever the distance.