Testosterone rule suspended, Semenya can race 800m

According to Caster Semenya’s lawyers, a Swiss federal judge has ordered the IAAF’s controversial testosterone rule temporarily suspended, meaning Semenya is free to compete in the 800m without lowering her testosterone. The 2016 Olympic 800m gold medallist and multiple world champion, who had refused to comply with the rule that she must take medication to suppress her natural testosterone to a maximum of 5 nmol/L to compete at world championships in September, was not expected to compete for several months while the appeal was being heard. It now appears she will likely compete in Doha.

BREAKING: Caster Semenya’s lawyers say the Swiss supreme court has ordered track’s governing body to suspend its testosterone regulations. https://t.co/4xpaAhqnjx

— AP Africa (@AP_Africa) June 3, 2019

According to a report in Associated Press report, the IAAF must not impose the rule requiring DSD athletes with unusually high testosterone to lower it in order to compete, and must present arguments for why the rule should stand. Semenya filed an appeal of the May 1 CAS decision upholding the testosterone rule two days before the deadline, on May 29.

RELATED: Caster Semenya appeals CAS testosterone decision

So IAAF’s DSD-High T regulations are suspended until at least 25 June. The IAAF will have to argue for their reinstatement during the appeal process. If they can't, it could be 6 months (or however long this Swiss Federal Court takes) before the DSD regs are enforced again

— Ross Tucker (@Scienceofsport) June 3, 2019

The suspension of the testosterone rule has many implications. It means that athletes with DSD who were willing to comply by taking testosterone-lowering medication no longer need to. It may also mean that athletes like Kenya’s Margaret Wambui, who have been prevented from competing by their own federation, may now compete unimpeded.

No date has been given for when the Swiss supreme court will hear the Semenya appeal.