International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president Sebastian Coe says he’s grateful for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling in the Caster Semenya case.
The new regulations limiting the levels of natural testosterone in women in certain events kick in on Wednesday May 8.
Coe believes that the decision allows athletics officials to keep the playing fields level.
He was speaking in Doha, where Semenya will compete, if possibly, her final international 800 metre race in the first Diamond League meeting of the season Friday night.
“I think this is pretty straight forward. It’s very straight forward any international federation in sport. Athletics has two classifications. It has age, it has gender, and we are fiercely protective about both.”
“And I’m really grateful that the Court of Arbitration has upheld that principle.”
On Wednesday Semenya and Athletics South Africa (ASA) lost their challenge at the CAS which ruled that middle distance female athletes with a high natural level of testosterone must take medication to reduce it.
CAS ruled regulations are necessary for athletes with differences in sexual development to ensure fair competition.
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