/ 30 March 2010

Semenya won’t compete until IAAF delivers test results

Caster Semenya, the 800m world champion, will not return to competitive athletics until her gender-verification case has been resolved, Athletics South Africa (ASA) announced on Tuesday.

Semenya underwent gender-verification tests after she won the women’s 800m at the Berlin world championships last August, but the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has yet to reveal the results of the tests.

Local media have reported that Semenya was due to compete in an athletics meet in Stellenbosch on Tuesday.

“The IAAF has given the assurance of completing the medical process speedily and have requested that ASA abide by the world body’s decision not to allow Semenya to participate in track and field events until the process has run its course,” ASA administrator Ray Mali said in a statement.

Semenya was allowed to keep her 800m gold medal but she has not competed since undergoing the tests. — Reuters