Semenya to get gender results today

Caster Semenya is expected to finally learn whether she can resume her athletics career when South Africa's Minister of Sport and Recreation hosts a press conference in Johannesburg today.

Semenya, winner of the world championships 800 metres gold medal in Berlin, has waited since last August to hear the results of gender tests carried out by medical experts at the request of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The IAAF has itself always insisted there would be no public announcement of the findings regarding whether she had an unfair advantage when she scored her runaway victory.

Initially it was thought the results would be announced at an IAAF council meeting last November but they were deferred and Semenya has been banned from competing by Athletics South Africa until their confirmation.

Semenya had said she would make her comeback at a meeting in Zaragoza next Thursday, but that was cancelled because of the economic situation in Spain.

The 19-year-old will be present at the press conference hosted by the minister, the Rev Dr Makhenkesi Stofile, along with her lawyers Dewey & LeBoeuf. The IAAF president, Lamine Diack, will also attend, a clear indication that a definitive decision on Semenya's status will be revealed.