Semenya: Swiss court temporarily suspends IAAF testosterone rules

Switzerland's top court said Monday it had temporarily suspended IAAF rules that oblige athletes including double Olympic champion Caster Semenya to lower her testosterone levels in order to compete in certain events.

Swiss Federal Tribunal spokesman Peter Josi told AFP that the court had issued a "super-provisional order," barring the application of the rules introduced by the International Association of Athletics Federations until a further hearing can take place.

The IAAF measures were previously approved by the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Judges at the sports court agreed that the rules were "discriminatory" but found, in a split decision, that they were "necessary" to ensure fairness in women's athletics. Semenya, the South African who won the women's 800 metres at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, last week announced plans to appeal to Switzerland's highest court.

"I am thankful to the Swiss judges for this decision," Semenya said in a statement issued by her legal team.

"I hope that following my appeal I will once again be able to run free," she added.

- 'She can run' -
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