The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said today it had opened a probe into Caster Semenya’s challenge of controversial new IAAF rules on testosterone occurring in female athletes.
CAS said it had “registered a request for arbitration” filed by the South African two-time Olympic gold medallist against the “International Association of Athletics Federations’ (IAAF) ‘Eligibility Regulations for Female Classification (Athletes with Differences of Sex Development)’ that are due to come into effect on November 1, 2018”.
Semenya, CAS said, sought a “ruling from CAS to declare such regulations unlawful and to prevent them from being brought into force. An arbitration procedure has been opened”.
The IAAF announced its new rules targeting women who naturally produce unusually high levels of testosterone in April, arguing that hyper-androgynous competitors enjoy an unfair advantage.
Athletes classified as “hyper-androgynous”, like Semenya, will have to chemically lower their testosterone levels to 5 nanomoles per liter of blood to be eligible to run any international race of 400 meters up to the mile.
Meanwhile, Japan beat 10-man Colombia 2-1 in the opening match in World Cup Group H today, taking advantage of an early red card for midfielder Carlos Sanchez.
Shinji Kagawa gave Japan the lead from the penalty spot after Sanchez handled the ball. Juan Quintero brought Colombia level as half-time approached but Yuya Osako grabbed the winner in the second period.
