A Swiss court has blocked Olympic gold medalist Caster Semenya from competing in some races, including defending her 800 meters world title, while it deliberates her lawsuit against the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the Swiss Federal Tribunal, Switzerland's highest court, issued a ruling stating that Semenya may not participate in the 800 meter race or others between 400 and 1500 meters while it deliberates her case. Semenya's testosterone levels, which are abnormally high due to a genetic condition, causes her to fall under the designation of "biologically male" by the IAAF, which she has said is "hurtful."

ADVERTISEMENT

The ruling means that Semenya will be unable to defend her world championship title at the upcoming 2019 World Championships in Athletics in Doha, Qatar, though she would still be eligible, under the association's guidelines, to compete in other races.

"I am very disappointed to be kept from defending my hard-earned title, but this will not deter me from continuing my fight for the human rights of all the female athletes concerned,” she said in a statement obtained by the Journal.

The Associated Press reported that the court issued its ruling due to the fact that Semenya's appeal “does not appear with high probability to be well founded."

Switzerland's courts, it argued, were likely bound by a previous court's ruling that Semenya's condition which “has a direct impact on performance in sport, which could never be achieved by other women.”

In a statement to news outlets Semenya's attorney Dorothee Schramm dismissed the court's ruling as a temporary procedural issue.

“The judge’s procedural decision has no impact on the appeal itself. We will continue to pursue Caster’s appeal and fight for her fundamental human rights. A race is always decided at the finish line," she said.