Latest news with #EuropeanCourtofHumanRights'
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Double Olympic champion may be required to lower her testosterone levels to compete as a woman
A top European court will decide tonight NZT whether double Olympic champion Caster Semenya can be required to lower her testosterone levels to compete as a woman, in a key decision on contested gender testing. The European Court of Human Rights' decision comes after a row engulfed the 2024
IOL News
6 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
European court set to decide on Caster Semenya's gender in sports case
NOT GIVING UP The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday is set to rule on whether Caster Semenya must lower her testosterone levels to compete as a woman, a decision that could impact gender testing policies in sports. Picture: Phill Magakoe/AFP Image: Phill Magakoe/AFP A top European court will decide Thursday whether double Olympic champion Caster Semenya can be required to lower her testosterone levels to compete as a woman, in a key decision on contested gender testing. The European Court of Human Rights' decision comes after a row engulfed the 2024 Paris Olympics over the gender of an Algerian boxing champion. South African runner Semenya, 34, was the Olympic 800m champion in 2012 and 2016 and world gold medallist in 2009, 2011 and 2017. She is classed as having "differences in sexual development", but has always been legally identified as female. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Semenya's Fight Against Testosterone Rules: A Case for Athletes' Rights and Diversity Semenya has refused to take drugs to reduce testosterone levels since World Athletics, track and field's governing body, introduced new rules on women competitors in 2018. So, she has since been barred from competing in her favoured 800m. Semenya has said she hopes the ECHR will protect athletes' human rights and 'inspire all young women to be and accept themselves in all their diversity'. Antoine Duval, a sports law expert at the Asser Institute in The Hague said the case would 'determine what comes next in terms of challenging the rules for access to women's competitions'. Semenya has already tried other tribunals to try to change the rules. The Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled against her in 2019 and the decision was validated by the Swiss Federal Court in Lausanne in 2020. It judged that a testosterone level comparable to that of men gave female athletes 'an insurmountable advantage'. 'Human guinea pig' The ECHR in 2023 ruled that Semenya was the victim of discrimination by the CAS. Swiss authorities, supported by World Athletics, appealed to the European court's 17-member Grand Chamber. The ECHR decision was however largely symbolic as it did not call into question the World Athletics ruling nor allow Semenya to return to competition without taking medication. There are many types of "differences in sexual development", a group of rare conditions involving genes, hormones and reproductive organs. Formerly known as intersexuality, they occur in approximately one in 1,000 to 4,500 births. Before the 2009 world championships, where Semenya won the 800m gold aged just 18, she was forced to undergo gender testing. She was subsequently put on medication to reduce testosterone levels, spending several months sidelined by World Athletics. Semenya, born with the "46 XY" chromosome rather than the XX chromosome most females have, said she felt she was being treated like a "human guinea pig" and vowed to never again allow it. Testosterone is produced by men and women, but men produce 20 times more of the sex hormone. How much the hormone boosts performance remains a matter of debate.
Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Council of Europe chief criticises push to ease expulsion of foreign criminals
FILE PHOTO: Former Swiss Federal Councillor Alain Berset arrives at the Summit on peace in Ukraine, in Stansstad near Lucerne, Switzerland, Saturday, June 15, 2024. URS FLUEELER/Pool via REUTERS/File photo BRUSSELS - The head of the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights watchdog, criticised an initiative by nine European countries calling on member states to make it easier to expel foreign criminals. European governments have expressed frustration with the European Court of Human Rights' use of the European Convention on Human Rights to block deportations, and they are calling for a review of the court's interpretation. "In a society governed by the rule of law, no judiciary should face political pressure. Institutions that protect fundamental rights cannot bend to political cycles," said Secretary General Alain Berset in a statement on Saturday. "If they do, we risk eroding the very stability they were built to ensure. The court must not be weaponised — neither against governments, nor by them." In a letter drafted by nine European countries, spearheaded by Italy and Denmark, ahead of a meeting on Thursday between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Denmark's Mette Frederiksen, urged the EU to review how courts interpret the convention. The countries argue that member states should have greater national autonomy in deciding when to expel criminal foreign nationals. They say they have witnessed cases where the court's interpretation has protected the wrong individuals and imposed excessive limitations on states' ability to expel foreigners. Berset emphasised that the European Court of Human Rights exists to protect the rights and values of member states, and that "upholding the independence and impartiality of the Court is our bedrock". REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Mint
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Council of Europe chief criticises push to ease expulsion of foreign criminals
Reuters Published 24 May 2025, 11:14 PM IST BRUSSELS May 24 (Reuters) - The head of the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights watchdog, criticised an initiative by nine European countries calling on member states to make it easier to expel foreign criminals. European governments have expressed frustration with the European Court of Human Rights' use of the European Convention on Human Rights to block deportations, and they are calling for a review of the court's interpretation. "In a society governed by the rule of law, no judiciary should face political pressure. Institutions that protect fundamental rights cannot bend to political cycles," said Secretary General Alain Berset in a statement on Saturday. "If they do, we risk eroding the very stability they were built to ensure. The court must not be weaponised — neither against governments, nor by them." In a letter drafted by nine European countries, spearheaded by Italy and Denmark, ahead of a meeting on Thursday between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Denmark's Mette Frederiksen, urged the EU to review how courts interpret the convention. The countries argue that member states should have greater national autonomy in deciding when to expel criminal foreign nationals. They say they have witnessed cases where the court's interpretation has protected the wrong individuals and imposed excessive limitations on states' ability to expel foreigners. Berset emphasised that the European Court of Human Rights exists to protect the rights and values of member states, and that "upholding the independence and impartiality of the Court is our bedrock". (Reporting by Amina Ismail; editing by David Evans)
