Back injury ends Semenya hopes of Games glory

Semenya was at the centre of a gender test dispute (AP)

South Africa's Olympic committee says Caster Semenya will miss the Commonwealth Games in India because of a back injury.

SASCOC chief executive Tubby Reddy says a scan confirmed the 800m world champion is unfit to make her long-awaited return to major competition at the event which gets underway in Delhi next week.

Reddy says the 19-year-old Semenya has been experiencing back pain and "SASCOC and Athletics South Africa agree that we are not in a position to compromise her health by risking her competing".

Reddy said yesterday that Semenya underwent an MRI scan which "confirmed that she most certainly has a back problem".

Semenya had hoped to challenge for gold at the Commonwealth Games after being cleared to run by the IAAF in July following a gender test dispute.