Semenya cleared to return to competition

Controversial athlete Caster Semenya has been cleared to compete as a woman after nearly a year of speculation over her gender, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) confirmed on Tuesday.

The IAAF has given the 19-year-old South African 800m world champion the green light to run again after reviewing the results of gender-verification tests.

“The process initiated in 2009 in the case of Caster Semenya has now been completed,” the IAAF said in a statement.

“The IAAF accepts the conclusion of a panel of medical experts that she can compete with immediate effect.”

The IAAF added: “The medical details of the case remain confidential and the IAAF will make no further comment on the matter.”

Semenya has not run since leaked test results said she was a hermaphrodite following her win at the world championships in Berlin in August.

The incident sparked anger from the South African public and government, who have rallied behind the athlete.

‘Thrilled’
Semenya said on Tuesday she was “thrilled” to return to women’s track.

“I am thrilled to enter the global athletics arena once again and look forward to competing with all the disputes behind me,” she said in a statement released by her lawyers.

Her lawyer, Greg Nott, said the settlement resulted from protracted negotiations between medical teams of the IAAF and Semenya’s own team, presided over by an international mediator.

Terms of the agreement will remain confidential, he said.—AFP