Caster Semenya - Man or Woman?

Controversy at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin with the news that South African 800m runner Caster Semenya has been asked to take a gender test to prove she's female.

IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said the "extremely complex, difficult" test results were not due for several weeks.

The South African athletics federation insist it is "completely sure" that the 18-year-old Semenya is a female.

"We would not have entered her in the female competition if we had any doubts," said a statement.

"In the case of this athlete, following her breakthrough in the African junior championships, the rumours, the gossip was starting to build up," added Davies.

"The gender verification test is an extremely complex procedure. The situation today is that we do not have any conclusive evidence that she should not be allowed to run."

A group of doctors, including an endocrinologist, a gynaecologist, an internal medicine expert, an expert on gender and a psychologist, have started the procedure but it is uncertain when the results will be known.

"It would be wrong today to take a decision to withdraw an athlete," said Davies, who said this was not a mandatory or compulsory test and the athlete was in no way suspected of cheating.

"This is a medical condition. It is nothing that she has done. There is a need to make sure rules are followed.

"We are more concerned for the person and not to make this as something that is humiliating."

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