This archive report was first published on 1 July 2019.
Published on July 1, 2019, Caster Semenya, the reigning 800m Olympic and world champion, has made it clear that she will not participate in the World Championships in Qatar later this year if she loses her appeal against the International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) new rules.
The 28-year-old South African athlete, who won the 800m in Sunday's Diamond League meet in California, stated that her goals are to defend her world title. However, if she is not allowed to compete in the 800m, she will not participate in the championships.
She added that she will take a vacation and return next year if she is not allowed to compete in the 800m. Semenya is currently challenging the IAAF's new rules that require athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD) to take testosterone-reducing medication or change to another distance to compete in track events from 400m to the mile.
Despite the rules, Semenya can still compete while she appeals and has won the 800m in California in one minute 55.69 seconds, nearly three seconds quicker than second-placed Ajee Wilson of the US.
It was the fastest 800m run by a woman on US soil, and Semenya has now not been beaten in the 800m since September 2015.
