Athletics: CAS delays decision on Semenya testosterone case

FILE PHOTO: Athletics – Diamond League – Monaco – Stade Louis II, Monaco – July 20, 2018 South Africa’s Caster Semenya wins the Women’s 800m REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

LONDON (Reuters) – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Thursday it would postpone its decision on Caster Semenya’s appeal hearing against the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) until the end of April.

South African 800-metres double Olympic champion Semenya is seeking to overturn a new set of IAAF regulations that are aimed at lowering the testosterone levels of hyperandrogenic athletes.

The IAAF contend that Semenya and other female athletes that are classed as having differences in sexual development (DSDs) gain an unfair advantage due to their higher testosterone levels, but only in races between 400 and 1,000-metres.

CAS have called the hearing “one of the most pivotal CAS cases” that could have a wide reaching consequence not just for the future of athletics, but sport in general.

The body had been expected to announce its decision on March 26, six months prior to the World Championships in Doha.

It said on Thursday that since the Feb. 18-22 hearing, the parties have filed additional submissions and materials. No specific date for the decision has been set.

Reporting by: Ossian Shine; Editing by Toby Davis

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source: reuters.com