Olympic 800m champion can compete “without restriction” during appeal process after governing body’s attempt to reverse the suspension of new rules on female classification fails

The Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland has rejected the IAAF’s request to reimpose its eligibility regulations on Caster Semenya, the two-time Olympic 800m champion’s legal team has said.

Earlier this month, the global governing body said it would be seeking “a swift reversion” of the Swiss court order which allows Semenya to race “without restriction” while her appeal against the IAAF’s new rules on female classification is pending.

“In an order issued on June 12, the Swiss Supreme Court upheld its prior order issued by the Court on May 31 in favour of Caster Semenya,” reads a statement from Semenya’s legal team.

“The Supreme Court’s prior order requires the IAAF to immediately suspend the implementation of its eligibility regulations against Caster Semenya in light of the athlete’s pending appeal. After considering the IAAF’s arguments, the Court has now determined in a second order that the IAAF’s request failed to set out any reason or change in circumstance that would justify a reconsideration of the prior order.

“This means that Caster remains permitted to compete without restriction in the female category at this time. The IAAF and Athletics South Africa have until June 25 to make submissions to the Supreme Court on Caster’s request that the IAAF regulations be suspended throughout the entire appeal proceedings. Until the Supreme Court decides on this request, the IAAF regulations remain suspended against Caster.”

According to the statement, Semenya said: “No woman should be subjected to these rules.

“I thought hard about not running the 800m in solidarity unless all women can run free. But I will run now to show the IAAF that they cannot drug us.”

Semenya had submitted an appeal after she lost her landmark case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the IAAF’s new rules, which relate to restricting testosterone levels in female runners in certain events.

The ‘IAAF Eligibility Regulations for Female Classification (Athletes with Differences of Sex Development (DSD))’ had originally been due to come into effect on November 1, 2018, but were suspended. Following the CAS ruling, the regulations started on May 8.

Under the new rules Semenya – and other female athletes with DSD – would need to reduce their natural testosterone level in order to take part in women’s events from 400m to the mile in international competition.

According to a quote from Semenya in the statement from her legal team, the hormonal drugs she was required to take in order to comply with previous IAAF rules left her feeling “constantly sick”.

“I am a woman, but the IAAF has again tried to stop me from running the way I was born,” reads the quote.

“The IAAF questions my sex, causes me great pain and required me to take hormonal drugs that made me feel constantly sick and unable to focus for many years. No other woman should be forced to go through this in order to have the same right that all women have – to do what we love and run the way we were born.”

Semenya has been named in South Africa’s preliminary team for the IAAF World Championships in Doha later this year but her participation in the 800m there depends on the outcome of her appeal.

Heptathlete is to contest the 200m and long jump at the London Stadium

Commonwealth heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson is to compete on both days of the Müller Anniversary Games as she takes on the 200m and long jump in the London Stadium on July 20-21.

The 200m takes place on day one of the Diamond League meeting, followed by the long jump on day two, exactly 10 weeks before the start of the IAAF World Championships in Doha.

“I’m really looking forward to competing on both days at the Müller Anniversary Games this year. I love this meet and the London Stadium is such an amazing venue, there’s no place like it in the world,” said Johnson-Thompson, who won Commonwealth and world indoor gold medals in 2018 and then regained the European indoor pentathlon title in Glasgow in March.

“With just 10 weeks to go until the world championships, all the best athletes will be competing with an eye on being in the best shape for Doha.

“I’ll be doing the same, trying to put together what I’d be working on in training to produce good performances on both days.

“I’m really settled now, in France, and the improvement in my performances have reflected that. My coach and training group are great and working with them has definitely given me more confidence.”

Last month the 26-year-old set a heptathlon world lead of 6813 points, a PB by 54 points, as she claimed victory at the Hypomeeting in Götzis.

Tickets for the Müller Anniversary Games are on sale at www.theticketfactory.com/british-athletics

Australian World Cup-winner Stephen Larkham has agreed to join Munster as their new senior coach until 2022.

The 45-year-old is the latest high-profile addition to Johann van Graan's backroom team following the appointment of ex-England coach Graham Rowntree.

The ex-Australia attack coach succeeds former Ireland full-back Felix Jones.

Munster are rebuilding their backroom team after Jones and forwards coach Jerry Flannery both declined offers to extend their contracts last season.

Larkham, who won 102 caps for Australia, has signed a three-year contract and will join the province in August, subject to gaining a work permit, where he will work alongside Van Graan, Rowntree and defence coach JP Ferreira.

"I have had a number of conversations with Johann and I'm very excited to be working with him, as our views on rugby are very similar," said Larkham, who won the 1999 World Cup with the Wallabies.

"I'm also looking forward to meeting and working with not only the other coaches in Graham and JP but also the very talented group of players that Munster have."

Acting Munster Rugby chief executive Philip Quinn added: "Stephen is a very successful coach who had offers from other clubs so we are delighted that he has decided to join Munster.

"It has been our intention to recruit one more member for our coaching ticket and we will evaluate our needs prior to progressing with that process."

Larkham's coaching career began at the Brumbies in 2011.

The former Australia fly-half became head coach at the Super Rugby side after three years before departing in 2017 to work full-time for governing body Rugby Australia.

He was sacked as Australia attack coach in February, saying at the time that he and head coach Michael Cheika fundamentally disagreed on the "overall game philosophy".

He remained with Rugby Australia, focusing on coach mentoring, coaching and skills development across the Australian sevens program, Junior Wallabies, State Under-20s academies and the Australian women's team the Wallaroos.

DODGE CITY, Kan. — The opening leg of the third annual Lubbock Wrecker Service DCRP 305 Sprint Car Nationals picked up right where the 2018 edition left off with a pair of Jakes slugging it out for the Thursday night feature at Dodge City Raceway Park.

This time, Jake Bubak turned the tables on defending event champion Jake Martens, battling into the lead on the 17th round and racing on to the stripe aboard the Dubose/Well-powered Coyote Candle Company No. 74b Maxim ahead of Nebraska resident Jason Martin and Martens.

“I feel like we got one taken away from us last year, we’re here to win the whole thing this time,” Bubak said after putting himself atop the point charts and in prime position to secure a lock-in position to Saturday’s $3,000-to-win finale.

With Bubak pulling the eight in the redraw to start the 25-lap feature outside the fourth row, Martens and Oklahoma City’s Tanner Conn led the way to the green flag.

Martens gunned into the early lead ahead of Conn with defending track champion Steven Richardson working past Jed Werner for third in the opening handful of laps.  Richardson moved in to challenge Conn for second, only to have the right rear wheel come off getting into turn three on the 11th round.  Richardson took a tumble that drew the night’s lone red flag but was able to walk away.

Conn went to work on Martens for the lead on the restart and used the high side to take command exiting turn two on the 13th circuit, only to have the move negated by Andy Shouse’s turn four caution.

Conn stumbled on the ensuing restart, losing several positions with Bubak taking over second. Bubak went to work on Martens in short order with the duo swapping the point on the 16th round before Bubak took over for keeps one lap later.

“I was able to find the top early and got going,” Bubak said. “Jake (Martens) was working the bottom really well, I couldn’t make it stick down there so I just used the top.”

After starting 13th, Jason Martin battled past Martens for second on the 21st round with Martens surviving a tap with the turn two wall to hold off Steven Shebester for third. Shebester was fourth with Jed Werner rounding out the top five.

While Bubak snared sprint car honors over a field of 42 entries, Bucklin’s Reagan Sellard held off Tathan Burkhart to capture his second IMCA Hobby Stock feature win in a row.

The finish:

Feature (25 laps):  1. 74b-Jake Bubak (8), 2. 5x-Jason Martin (13), 3. 48-Jake Martens (1), 4. 16s-Steven Shebester (5), 5. 50-Jed Werner (4), 6. 21x-Taylor Velasquez (12), 7. 49x-Luke Cranston (11), 8. 2J-Zach Blurton (6), 9. 11x-Tony Bruce, Jr. (21), 10. 78-Tanner Conn (2), 11. 45d-David Luckie (17), 12. 97-Brian Herbert (7), 13. 911-Ty Williams (10), 14. 55b-Brandon Anderson (19), 15. 33-Koby Walters (15), 16. 72-Ray Seemann (9), 17. 28-Tracey Hill (20), 18. 45x-Kyler Johnson (22), 19. 224-Aric Sooter (18), 20. 12-Bob Schaeffer (14), 21. 27-Andy Shouse (16), 22. 0-Steven Richardson (3).

ELDON, Iowa — Dominic Scelzi had no peer in his first trip to the Eldon Raceway.  

The Fresno, Calif., driver was able to sweep his heat the dash and the feature to take home the $1,500 prize in claiming his third career Sprint Invaders win.  

A strange night saw two former series champions eliminated in preliminary action.  Both defending champion, Cody Wehrle, and three-time titlist, Jon Agan, flipped hard in a heat race and the dash, respectively.  

Chris Martin led early in the 25-lap main event over Scelzi and Jake Blackhurst.  Austin McCarl shot around Blackhurst on lap two for third.  A red flew on lap three, with an incident involving Dustin Selvage, Harold Pohren and John Schulz. Pohren would be done.

The red proved to be the only stoppage.  When the green flew, Scelzi dogged the leader, until passing him on lap five. Mason Daniel was working his way forward, and claimed fourth from Blackhurst on lap nine.  While Scelzi took off from the field, a dogfight between Martin, McCarl and Daniel ensued for second, third and fourth.  

Daniel traded third twice with McCarl.  McCarl moved up to second with five to go.  Daniel went from fourth to third on lap 21, and then took second from McCarl a lap later.  The “Super Half-mile” was fast, and yielded multiple grooves.

Scelzi’s win came ahead of Daniel, McCarl, Chris Martin and Jamie Ball.  Blackhurst, Dustin Clark, Selvage, Josh Higday and Daniel Bergquist.  

“Some of the lapped cars…it was tough to judge where they were going,” said Scelzi. “First and foremost, this racetrack was amazing. The track prep was absolutely perfect. We were about touching the wall on top and you could still run the bottom. Hat’s off to the track prep. This place was a blast to race on. This car was perfect.  I knew from the first lap that I felt really strong.  We got our wing back, and got better as the race went on.  I think we’re three for three now on Sprint Invaders wins, so that’s pretty cool. The Sprint Invaders are fun to race with, and I’ve become friends with some of them. I always enjoy racing with them.”

“Starting seventh, it took me a while to get to fourth,” said Daniel. “I saw McCarl and (Blackhurst) battling it out.  I got to watch it all and make my moves on the top and bottom. We were able to get to third and I clipped the tire down in one and two.  I think I bent the axle a bit…something felt different. That’s when McCarl got back by me for second.  The last couple laps, we were able to go on the bottom and use lapped traffic to get back by him. Danny (Lasoski) had the car set up well.  We were able to go anywhere on the track we wanted.”

The finish:

Feature (25 laps): 1. 41s, Dominic Scelzi, Fresno, CA (4) 2. 33m, Mason Daniel, Springfield, CA (7) 3. 17A, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (6) 4. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (1) 5. 5J, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (10) 6. 50, Jake Blackhurst, Hanna City, IL (2) 7. 16, Dustin Clark, Agency, IA (5) 8. 88, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (9) 9. 35, Josh Higday, Des Moines, IA (13) 10. 9, Daniel Bergquist, Burlington, IA (12) 11. 69, Justin Buchholz, Davenport, IA (15) 12. 11, Colton Fisher, Mediapolis, IA (8) 13. 81, Tanner Gebhardt, Burlington, IA (16) 14. 13, Brayden Gaylord, Wever, IA (14) 15. 11c, Mason Campbell, New Berlin, IL (17) 16. 99, John Schulz, West Burlington, IA (18) 17. 50P, Harold Pohren, Lowell, IA (11) 18. 01, Travis Pence, Stronghurst, IL (19) 19. 27, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA (20) 20. 14, Randy Martin, California, MO (3) DNS – 4 Jon Agan, Knoxville, IA, 40c, Cody Wehrle, Burlington, IA, 11B, Ben Woods, Newton, IA. 

KANKAKEE, Ill. — Kankakee County Speedway hosted the first night of the annual DIRTcar UMP Summer Nationals Hell Tour Thursday night with Illinois racer Brian Shirley coming home the winner of the $5,000-to-win, 40-lap, late model stock car special at the quarter-mile dirt oval.  

Kankakee became the opening-night host after the schedule Hell Tour opener at Illinois’ Peoria Speedway was rained out on Wednesday.

Not planning on running the entire Summer Nationals tour, the 38-year-old Shirley, wheeling his Bob Cullen Racing, Thomason Express/Cheap Cars/KBX Graphix/Kid’s Castle Learning Center-sponsored No.3, took the checkered flag with a 1.776-second margin of victory over Frank Heckenast Jr.  

Fastest-qualifier Rusty Schlenk finished third, followed by Jason Feger, Ryan Unzicker and Billy Moyer.  Bobby Pierce, Mike Spatola, Kevin Weaver and Bob Gardner rounded out the top 10 in the 22-car field.

At the drop of the green flag, Shirley, who hails from Chatham, Ill., and Heckenast raced side by side for a lap or two until Shirley, using the outside groove, moved into the lead. With six laps in the books, Shannon Babb slowed bringing out the race’s first of three yellow caution flags.  

On the restart, Shirley set the pace, chased by Schlenk, Heckenast, Spatola and Feger.  Having a problem in his heat race, Pierce, who started 16^th after winning the B main, was already up to sixth when the caution lights flashed again with 18 laps complete with Babb stopping off of turn four.

Green-flag racing resumed with Shirley showing the way with Heckenast hustling by Schlenk for second. Shirley attempted to build a comfortable lead only to see the final yellow flag fly with 22 circuits complete.  

Once green flag racing resumed again, Shirley was on his way to victory, building a full straightaway lead over Heckenast as the race wore down.

“The car drove really well,” said Shirley. “I had a good starting spot.   I can’t thank (car owner) Bob Cullen enough.  He puts me in great equipment.  We’ve already raced forty nights this year.”

The finish:

Brian Shirley, Frank Heckenast Jr., Rusty Schlenk, Jason Feger, Ryan Unzicker, Billy Moyer, Bobby Pierce, Mike Spatola, Kevin Weaver, Bob Gardner, Walker Arthur, Gordy Gundaker, Paul Stubber, Lyle Zanker, David Jaeger, Chuck Hummer, Dennis Erb Jr., Allen Murray, Allen Weisser, Glen Thompson, Shannon Babb, Matt Shannon. 

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Kyle Bronson battled to retake the lead from Brandon Overton on lap 44 and cruised to his second career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory on Thursday night at Fayetteville Motor Speedway.

With the win, Bronson becomes the 10th different winner this season on the tour. A healthy crowd was on hand for the Dunn-Benson Ford Wayne Gray Sr. Memorial presented by GETSCO.

Trailing Bronson and Overton across the finish line were Tyler Erb, Hudson O’Neal, and Jonathan Davenport. Bronson is also the fifth different winner in the five appearances by Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Fayetteville.

Erb led the first 12 laps of the race until Davenport forged ahead on the thirteenth circuit. Davenport held the lead over Bronson until lap 31 when Bronson took over the point. Overton led one lap until Bronson raced back around him for good with six laps remaining.

It was a big week for Bronson as he celebrated his 29th birthday on Tuesday and picked up the victory in his first-ever appearance at Fayetteville.

“I have had a really good car the last few months, but we don’t have the results to show for it,” Bronson said. “With all the bad luck we have had, we showed how fast of a car we have tonight. I let JD [Davenport] get the lead and I was kicking myself about how I let him by.”

Overton in the Rum Rummer Racing, Rocket Chassis finished second as he and his team were competing with heavy hearts after the passing of crew member Billy Vacek.

“It’s been a tough week with Billy’s passing. I am going to try so hard like I did tonight to get a win for him this weekend,” Overton said. “Our hats are off to Kyle for the win. I led a lap and then he got back around me. He [Bronson] did a really good job. I really wanted to get that win for Billy. I guarantee you the fans got their money’s worth tonight. I am looking forward to Cherokee tomorrow night.”

Erb continued a string of impressive runs with his third-place finish.

“We got the lead early, but the more the race went on, the crazier it got,” Erb said. “Kyle did a good job, especially on the restarts. I think we were about three-wide for a second. We finished and I don’t know how. We have two more nights of racing so we have to work on it some more to get this car better. Congrats to Kyle, he is one of my best buddies, we travel up and down the road together and I am really happy for him.”

The finish:

Kyle Bronson, Brandon Overton, Tyler Erb, Hudson O’Neal, Jonathan Davenport, Josh Richards, Devin Moran, Dustin Mitchell, Jimmy Owens, Michael Brown, Earl Pearson Jr., Shanon Buckingham, Billy Moyer Jr., Don O’Neal, Tim McCreadie, James Parker, Stormy Scott, Chris Ferguson, Daulton Wilson, Donald Bradsher, Billy Greenhill, Dale Arnold, Willie Milliken, Scott Bloomquist.