Caster Semenya, the world champion 800m athlete at the centre of an international gender storm, faces another delay over her future after it was revealed on Wednesday that medical testing is still not complete.
Semenya, who took the 800m world title in Berlin this year, was expected to learn her fate on Friday at a high-level International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) meeting in Monaco.
But the IAAF said that talks were still ongoing.
”The IAAF, the South African Ministry of Sport and Recreation and Caster Semenya’s representatives have been and still are in discussions with a view to resolving the issues surrounding Caster Semenya’s participation in athletics,” said an IAAF statement.
”The IAAF will not comment upon the medical aspects of Caster Semenya’s case. The medical testing of the athlete is still to be completed.
”There will be no discussion of Caster Semenya’s case at the forthcoming IAAF council meeting to be held in Monaco on November 20 and 21.”
The IAAF has numerous options open to it — it could ban her from competing again, require that she undergo surgery, or take no action.
Leaked test results said Semenya was a hermaphrodite, sparking anger from the South African public and government, who have rallied behind the athlete.
Athletics South Africa (ASA) was suspended by the country’s national Olympic committee this month over its handling of the Semenya row.
The decision came after ASA boss Leonard Chuene was suspended pending an investigation after admitting he knew about the gender test conducted on the athlete prior to the world championships. — AFP
