In this post, @antoineduval.bsky.social and I offer an initial assessment of the IOC's justifications for its new genetic sex testing policy, demonstrating that its claims of scientific consensus, consensus among female athletes, and compliance with human rights laws are completely unsubstantiated.

Verfassungsblog@verfassungsblog.de · 5mo ago

Due to the new Policy on the Protection of the Female Category in Olympic Sport, all women and girls will have to undergo a genetic test. MICHELE KRECH and ANTOINE DUVAL reveal the scientific, procedural, and legal shortcomings of this new policy. verfassungsblog.de/ioc-genetic-...

The IOC's decision to require all women and girls seeking to compete in Olympic sport to undergo genetic testing violates human rights, bioethics, and data protection laws. In a joint statement, signed by legal experts from around the world, we explain why: www.asser.nl/SportsLaw/Bl...

#Sportslaw Breaking! Yesterday, we shared the Joint Statement from Legal Experts on Genetic #SexTesting in Sport with the #IOC. It argues that genetic sex testing violates numerous national & international laws & calls on the #IOC to reject its use as eligibility criteria. 👇👇👇

🚨 The #IOC is reportedly considering mandatory genetic sex testing and a blanket ban on trans and intersex women in sport. In response, the #SRA and over 80 organizations are calling for these plans to be immediately reversed. 🔗 Read the full statement: sportandrightsalliance.org/olympics-sex...

On March 12, join Heated Rivalry’s Harrison Browne and legal experts for the More Than A Game symposium. In this Q&A, Professor Debra Parkes explains why the fight for equality in sport is far from over. allard.ubc.ca/about-us/new...

Heated Rivalry' actor joins legal experts for Allard Law symposium on gender equality in sport

Heated Rivalry’s Harrison Browne and legal experts will gather for the More Than A Game symposium on March 12. Allard Law Professor Debra Parkes explains why the fight for equality in sport is far fro...

allard.ubc.ca

📢 Speakers confirmed! 🏅 Our online course on gender regulation in sport brings together leading experts and athletes to tackle the big questions of inclusion, fairness and human rights in international sport. 📅 15–17 Oct 2025 💻 Online via Zoom 🔗 Register now: bit.ly/45RGJsO

The Grand Chamber's decision not only says that World Athletics' female eligibility rules must be subjected to rigorous human rights review, but also suggests that their shaky evidentiary foundations and seriously harmful consequences make the rules unlikely to withstand future legal challenges.

Antoine Duval@antoineduval.bsky.social · 11mo ago

The third blog by @michelekrech.bsky.social focuses on the impact of the #Semenya judgment on eligibility rules for female competitions arguing that it changes everything. it is available at strasbourgobservers.com/2025/10/03/t... #Sportslaw #DSDRegulations #WorldAthletics #CAS #ECtHR

The third blog by @michelekrech.bsky.social focuses on the impact of the #Semenya judgment on eligibility rules for female competitions arguing that it changes everything. it is available at strasbourgobservers.com/2025/10/03/t... #Sportslaw #DSDRegulations #WorldAthletics #CAS #ECtHR

The Semenya Judgment and Women’s Eligibility in Sport: Nothing Changes, Everything Does! - Strasbourg Observers

Dr. Michele Krech1 *** Between the first and the eight of October, the Strasbourg Observers blog is hosting a symposium examining various aspects of the ECtHR’s ruling in Semenya v. Switzerland. The s...

strasbourgobservers.com

NEW: Is It Time to Rethink the Binary in Sports? In this episode, hosts @cfloed.bsky.social and @tomginsburg.bsky.social are joined by Michele Krech to unpack the human rights questions at stake in debates around gender and athletic competition. Listen now: open.spotify.com/episode/4ait...

Is It Time To Rethink The Binary In Sports?

open.spotify.com

Genetic sex testing in sport violates MANY laws - bioethics, genetic non-discrimination, data privacy, etc. - in MANY jurisdictions. These tests have no medical purpose, functioning instead as a discriminatory contractual condition, thus vitiating consent and misusing protected data. Read more:

Sex Testing on Trial

verfassungsblog.de

World Athletics and World Boxing have instituted genetic sex testing as a precondition for competing in the women’s category. SONE ERIKAINEN, KATRINA KARKAZIS (@karkazis.bsky.social‬) & MICHELE KRECH (@michelekrech.bsky.social‬) on the many legal pitfalls. verfassungsblog.de/genetic-sex-...

@worldathletics.org's new female eligibility rules seem to violate Canada's Genetic Non-Discrimination Act, which prohibits requiring someone to undergo or disclose results of a genetic test as a condition of providing goods/services or entering into/continuing a contract/agreement. bit.ly/4m3WW3y

World Athletics introduces SRY gene test for athletes wishing to compete in the female category | PRESS-RELEASES | World Athletics

The World Athletics Council has approved new regulations concerning eligibility conditions to compete in the female category for world ranking competitions

bit.ly

"States must ... protect the climate system and ... environment [by] taking mitigation and adaptation measures, with due account given to the protection of human rights, the adoption of standards and legislation, and the regulation of the activities of private actors." shorturl.at/IYFJx

In sum: The Swiss court (and likewise the CAS) failed to address serious doubts about the reasonableness and proportionality of World Athletics' female eligibility regulations. Its review of Semenya's complaint was therefore not sufficiently rigorous, given the seriousness of the rights at stake.

European Court of Human Rights@echr.coe.int · last yr.

Grand Chamber judgment Semenya v. Switzerland - the Court held that there had been a violation of the right to a fair hearing tinyurl.com/ymbwp8kw #ECHR #CEDH #ECHRpress

Grand Chamber judgment Semenya v. Switzerland - the Court held that there had been a violation of the right to a fair hearing tinyurl.com/ymbwp8kw #ECHR #CEDH #ECHRpress

So proud of this team!

UChicago Law@uchicagolaw.bsky.social · last yr.

For the first time in over 30 years, a UChicago Law team is heading to the international rounds of the Jessup Moot Court Competition! Congrats to Anna Schmitt, Sahar Omer, David Clifton, Daniela Apodaca, & Letian Wang (all 3Ls) on this huge achievement! buff.ly/qSub3fp

I'm so thrilled to be joining the faculty of Lincoln Alexander School of Law! www.torontomu.ca/law/news-eve...

Lincoln Alexander Law welcomes new faculty

torontomu.ca

There's still plenty of time to register for Wednesday's webinar. Click the link below to sign up and join this timely and important discussion. www.cambridge.org/core/journal... @cambup-law.bsky.social @asilorg.bsky.social @monicahakimi.bsky.social @michelekrech.bsky.social

Join @michelekrech.bsky.social, Bigelow Fellow, for an American Journal of International Law webinar exploring the challenges that women in sports confront, and how international institutions do and should respond.

AJIL Webinar: The International Regulation of Women in Sports

February 19, 2025

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Thrilled to see my article -- showing how a private organization has shaped, and diluted, an international human rights norm -- in AJIL! It shows how a global sport governing body has responded to legal challenges by retrofitting 'gender equality' to align with exclusionary regulatory practices.

AJIL and AJIL Unbound@ajil.bsky.social · 2y ago

The January issue of AJIL is now available online! @michelekrech.bsky.social @hosungahn.bsky.social @monicahakimi.bsky.social @jkatzcogan.bsky.social @akinkugbe.bsky.social @asilorg.bsky.social @cambup-law.bsky.social www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

A timely conversation hosted by @ajil.bsky.social. Please join us. @monicahakimi.bsky.social @lenaholzer.bsky.social