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Double Olympic champion, Caster Semenya, remains unwavering in her resolve as she confronts the long-standing dispute with athletics authorities, declaring that she will not be "ashamed because I am different." The South African athlete, who has consistently been legally recognized as female despite being classified as having "differences in sexual development (DSD)," stands firm in her decision to forgo hormone-altering drugs, a rule introduced by athletics' governing body in 2018.
The consequence of her stance is her exclusion from her favored 800-meter distance. In a significant development, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has now agreed to take up Semenya's case.
This follows a notable legal victory for the 32-year-old athlete in July when she triumphed against the Swiss government's challenge at the Strasbourg-based international court, which ruled that she had been a victim of discrimination. However, Swiss authorities, with the support of World Athletics, have indicated their intention to escalate the matter to the ECHR's Grand Chamber, whose decisions hold binding authority.
Semenya conveyed her focus on "winning battles against the authorities" in an interview with the BBC on Tuesday, revealing that competing in next year's Paris Olympics is not part of her plans. She underscored her belief in the definition of womanhood, stating, "For me, I believe if you are a woman, you are a woman, no matter the differences you have."
Semenya further expressed her determination to embrace her uniqueness, asserting, "At the end of the day, I know I am different. I don't care about the medical terms or what they tell me. Being born without a uterus or internal testicles—those don't make me less of a woman. Those are the differences I was born with, and I will embrace them. I am not going to be ashamed because I am different."
Caster Semenya's unwavering spirit continues to inspire a critical conversation about gender and fairness in sports.
