'Caster had no unfair advantage over fellow athletes'

2010-09-07 9:00:00 PM

Sport and Recreation Minister Makhenkesi Stofile says a team of scientists have concluded that Caster Semenya had no advantage over other athletes when she won the 800m race at the world championships in Berlin last year.'

The minister says the 10 scientists were appointed, some by South Africa and the others by the international athletics body, the International Association of Athletics Federations. The scientists were tasked with investigating Semenya after a gender controversy blew up around her last year.'

Stofile briefed Parliament's committee today, after the South Africa?s Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee failed to appear before the Sports Committee to brief it about the Semenya debacle that led to the suspension of Athletics South Africa boss, Leornard Chuene and other officials.'

Stofile told parliament he could not divulge a detailed treatment that was meted out on Semenya, but says at the end they all agreed that the athlete is ready to run again.

Semenya, a world champion runner, said earlier this month that she has set herself a goal of winning the 800m gold medal at next month's Commonwealth Games' in New Delhi. Her statement came despite her recent poor run of form. She has also said she is gearing up for next year's world championships in Daegu, South Korea. - Additional reporting by Sapa