The Court of Arbitration of Sport has granted the International Association of Athletics Federations an additional period of two months to provide scientific evidence about the quantitative relationship between enhanced testosterone levels and improved athletic performance in hyperandrogenic athletes.

A release by the CAS states: “On 24 July 2015, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issued an Interim Award in the arbitration procedure between the Indian athlete Dutee Chand, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The CAS Panel in charge of the procedure (The Hon. Justice Annabelle Claire Bennett AO, Australia (President), Prof. Richard H. McLaren, Canada, and Dr Hans Nater, Switzerland) suspended the “IAAF Regulation Governing Eligibility of Females with Hyperandrogenism to Compete in Women’s Competition” (the “Hyperandrogenism Regulations”) until 24 July 2017...

Based upon the agreement of the parties and at the approval of the Panel, the Hyperandrogenism Regulations have been suspended for an additional two (2) months. During such extended suspension, Ms Dutee Chand remains eligible to compete in both national and international level athletics events. Should the IAAF not file any scientific evidence within the additional two-month period granted by the CAS Panel (i.e. end of September 2017), the Hyperandrogenism Regulations will be declared void.”

Earlier, a joint study released by the IAAF and the World Anti-Doping Agency, on the eve of the Asian Athletics Championships in Bhubaneshwar, stated that “Female runners born with high testosterone levels enjoy a “significant competitive advantage.”

In 2011, the IAAF introduced so-called “hyperandrogenism regulations” after a highly-emotive and public battle with South Africa’s Semenya.

The regulations allowed hyperandrogenic athletes to take medication to lower their testosterone levels to below 10 nanomoles per litre – considered a low level in men.

The government also considered helping Chand recently with her legal case as it would require significant financial assistance.