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Caster Semenya on her first attempt to qualify over 5000 meters in Pretoria
Photo:
Christiaan Kotze / AP
The two-time 800-meter Olympic champion Casta Semenya missed the qualification for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Semenya ran the 5000 meters in Durban, South Africa in 15: 32.15 minutes - and missed the Olympic norm by 22.15 seconds.
She improved compared to her last attempt in Pretoria, which she finished after 15: 52.28 minutes.
The main discipline of the middle distance specialist is the 800 meters, but because of the so-called "testosterone rule", Semenya is only allowed to start at international running competitions between 400 and one mile if she uses medication to keep her testosterone level below a limit - Semenya had emphasized several times not wanting to take medication.
Then she switched to other distances.
Switzerland has human rights court answers to case
Semenya
give
The Swiss Federal Supreme Court had confirmed the controversial rule of the World Athletics Federation - today World Athletics - on the testosterone limit for middle-distance runners with intersexual abilities last year. For the association, Semenya is one of the “biologically male athletes with female gender identities”.
Semenya announced in February that it would go to the European Court of Human Rights.
The 30-year-old South African accuses Switzerland of violating protection against discrimination and degrading treatment as well as disregarding her private life.
The athlete's rights to a fair trial and effective complaint were also not respected.
The Strasbourg court announced in mid-May that Switzerland had been informed of Semenya's complaint at the beginning of the month.
The case will therefore be treated with priority.
ngo / Reuters