testosterone - The African Mirror

Nov

2023

Semenya case referred to European rights court’s grand chamber

THE European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) announced that the case involving double 800 metres Olympic champion Caster Semenya will be heard by its Grand Chamber for a final ruling following a referral request from the Swiss government. Semenya, 32, wants to hold the sport's governing World Athletics body to account for what she terms discrimination against athletes with hyperandrogenism, a condition characterised by higher than usual levels of testosterone, a hormone that increases muscle mass and strength. She is attempting to overturn requirements that female athletes with differences in sexual development (DSDs) medically reduce their testosterone levels. Following an…

Oct

2023

By The African Mirror

Pogba’s second sample tests positive in counter-analysis – report

FOOTBALL

JUVENTUS midfielder Paul Pogba's positive doping test has been confirmed in a counter-analysis on a second sample, Sky Sports and ANSA news agency reported, a month after he was provisionally suspended. Pogba was suspended after a test conducted by Italy's national anti-doping organisation (NADO Italia) detected testosterone, a hormone that increases athletes' endurance. The test was performed after Juve's 3-0 Serie A season-opening victory at Udinese on August 20. His agent Rafaela Pimenta said at the time that Pogba had never intended to break the rules. Reuters has contacted Pimenta, who was not immediately available for comment. NADO Italia refused to comment…

Aug

2021

By The African Mirror

Olympics-Athletics-Namibian sprinters resurrect ‘paradox’ of DSD rules

SPORT

MITCH PHILLIPS THE presence of Namibian teenagers Beatrice Masilingi and Christine Mboma in the Olympic women's 200 metres final weeks after they were banned from the 400m due to excess levels of testosterone has reopened the debate about DSD athletes. The two 18-year-olds are the latest to fall foul of the rules regarding female athletes with Differences of Sexual Development (DSD) after more than a decade of the sport's authorities wrestling with the issue. A DSD or intersex athlete is broadly described as one who has XY sex chromosomes, has a blood testosterone level in the male range and has…

Nov

2020

By The African Mirror

Semenya to take fight to European Court of Human Rights

NEWS

SOUTH African double Olympic 800-metre champion Caster Semenya is to take her fight with World Athletics to the European Court of Human Rights, her lawyers have confirmed. Semenya is one of a number of female athletes with differences in sexual development (DSDs) competing in races ranging from 400 metres to a mile, who World Athletics insist must reduce their naturally high levels of testosterone in order to run. This can be done either through the use of drugs or surgical interventions. Semenya has vowed to fight the regulations, but has already lost an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for…

Sep

2020

By The African Mirror

Semenya loses appeal against CAS ruling over testosterone regulations

SPORT

DOUBLE Olympic 800 metres champion Caster Semenya has lost her appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal (SFT) to set aside a 2019 Court of Arbitration (CAS) ruling that female athletes with high natural testosterone levels must take medication to reduce it. But the South African has indicated that she may continue her battle in the European and domestic courts ahead of the Olympics in Tokyo next year, vowing to "fight for human rights". Semenya approached the tribunal in May last year after CAS, sport's highest court, ruled that the regulations of the sport's governing body World Athletics were necessary for…