Two-time Olympic champion runner Caster Semenya won a significant, though partial, victory at the European Court of Human Rights on July 10, 2025. The court’s highest chamber, consisting of 17 judges, ruled that Semenya’s right to a fair hearing was violated by Switzerland’s Supreme Court, which had previously rejected her appeal against World Athletics’ sex eligibility rules. The matter will now return to the Swiss federal court in Lausanne for further review, keeping her case alive in the legal system. However, other aspects of her appeal were dismissed by the court[3].
This ruling follows years of legal battles stemming from track and field’s regulations that require women with certain medical conditions—like Semenya, who has a typical male chromosome pattern and naturally high testosterone levels—to suppress their hormone levels in order to compete at elite levels, including the Olympics and world championships[1]. Semenya has consistently refused to take medication to lower her natural testosterone, a stance that has effectively ended her competitive career since 2019[7]. Her case has become a focal point in ongoing debates over sex eligibility in sports, with many citing its potential to set legal precedent across all sporting disciplines[6].
The Grand Chamber’s verdict does not immediately overturn the regulations but intensifies scrutiny of World Athletics and its policies. If subsequent legal challenges prevail, the rules could be altered or removed in the future[6]. Semenya, now 34, has transitioned from competition to coaching and emphasizes that her fight is about the protection of athletes’ rights, not just her own athletic ambitions[6].
Meanwhile, the debate over sex eligibility in sports remains highly politicized, with the track and field model influencing policies in other sports. For example, the boxing world announced new sex eligibility testing in the wake of Semenya’s legal advancements[1].
References
- [1] A ruling this week in the Caster Semenya case could reignite the issue of sex eligibility in sports
- [3] Human rights court rules Olympic champion runner Semenya did not get fair hearing in Switzerland
- [6] Upcoming ruling in Caster Semenya case could reignite fight over sex eligibility in sports
- [7] Semenya awaits key ruling that could reshape sex eligibility in sports