Semenya prevailed in her appeal following a Swiss Supreme Court decision from 2020 accusing the Swiss government of failing to defend her rights.
The 32-year-old South African stated in a statement that the choice “has been a long time coming.”
“I am elated at the outcome of the ruling,” she continued.
Due to her birth defect, Semenya is not permitted to participate in any track competitions without using testosterone-suppressing medication.
Semenya has been engaged in a protracted legal battle with World Athletics over their requirement that athletes with DSD undergo hormone therapy in order to compete in female track events.
The three-time 800m world champion’s legal attempts to dispute the ruling in 2019 and three years ago in Switzerland at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) were unsuccessful on both occasions.
When the Swiss Supreme Court declined to reverse a Cas decision that upheld the World Athletics rules, the ECHR concluded that the Swiss government had failed to protect Semenya from discrimination.
Semenya said, “I have been mistreated and have endured much suffering at the hands of the powers that be.
“The effort I put forth to become the athlete I am has been called into doubt. My rights were abused. It affected my career. Everything is so harmful. emotionally, physically, mentally, and financially.”Justice has spoken, but this is only the beginning.”
Despite the fact that World Athletics was not a party to Semenya’s lawsuit at the ECHR, she claimed that the outcome is nonetheless important for athletes since it “casts doubt on the future of all similar rules.”
She continued, “My goal is that World Athletics, and indeed all sporting organizations, would take the words made by the European Court of Human Rights under consideration and make sure they respect the human rights and dignity of the athletes they work with.
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