South African middle-distance legend Caster Semenya has ended her long legal challenge against World Athletics’ sex-eligibility rules, bringing one of sport’s most divisive cases to a close.
Her lawyer, Patrick Bracher, confirmed that Semenya would not return to Switzerland’s Supreme Court, despite a European Court of Human Rights ruling in July that found she hadn’t received a fair hearing in earlier proceedings.
“Caster’s legal challenge reached the highest possible court with a highly successful outcome and will not be taken further,” Bracher said.
Semenya, a two-time Olympic 800 m champion, has been barred from her signature event since 2019 for refusing to take medication to lower her naturally high testosterone levels — a condition linked to differences in sex development (DSD). She has consistently argued that the rules violate her human rights and dignity.
The 34-year-old, unbeaten for years at her peak, has since transitioned into coaching, her elite career effectively ended by the regulations.
World Athletics maintains that DSD athletes with XY chromosomes and elevated testosterone gain an unfair advantage, a claim still debated among scientists.
New, even stricter genetic-sex tests took effect in September 2025, potentially setting the stage for future legal challenges from other athletes.
Semenya’s decision closes a personal chapter — but the global debate over fairness, biology, and inclusion in women’s sport is far from over.
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