Last August Caster Semenya won the Women's 800 gold medal at the World Championship in Berlin, Germany and was immediately the center of attention after the IAAF requested gender tests. She has not raced since and has remained silent, waiting patiently for the IAAF to release its results, but Tuesday she could wait no longer and released a statement.
"I hereby publicly announce my return to athletics' competitions."
Semenya felt compelled to action after being denied admission to the Yellow Pages Series V Track and Field event in Stellenbosch, South Africa on the grounds that the IAAF still had not released their findings.
"I am an athlete first and foremost and it is vital for my competitiveness, my well being and for my preparations for events during the European summer that I measure my performance against other athletes."
It's an incredibly upsetting situation for her as evidenced by her answer to questions posed by the Associated Press: "Why would I want to talk to media? I don't want to talk to you."
And continued in her released statement: "I have been subjected to unwarranted and invasive scrutiny of the most intimate and private details of my being."
The NYDaily News stated that her legal advisers had formally tried to contact the IAAF three times but hadn't received any answer as to when she could return to competition. However, Caster arrived at her own decision.
"I am of the firm view that there is no impediment to me competing in athletics competitions," Semenya stated. "I will, however, continue to assist the IAAF with whatsoever they may require for their own processes and in this regard I have instructed my legal and medical team to work closely with, and continue negotiation with them for these purposes."
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