Talks over Semenya gender row inconclusive

Also unresolved is under what circumstances the 18-year-old would be allowed to compete in the future as a female, spokesman Nick Davies said in an interview ahead of yesterday's IAAF Council meeting.

"We are not in the position at the moment to confirm 100 per cent, what was announced yesterday by the South Africans," Davies said.

"We are still discussing and hopefully we will have a resolution soon."

South Africa's sports ministry said in a statement on Thursday the IAAF had agreed to allow the athlete to retain her world women's 800 metres title and gold medal and prize money from August's world championships in Berlin.

No confirmation

But neither Davies nor leaders of the IAAF — including president Lamine Diack, vice-presidents Sergei Bubka and Robert Hersh nor general secretary Pierre Weiss — would confirm the statement yesterday.

"Nothing! Nothing! Nothing," Weiss said. The IAAF Council was expected to hear a report on the case during its session later yesterday, but take no action.

Neither the South African statement nor the IAAF has said publicly under what circumsances Semenya, who has undergone gender testing after questions of her gender arose, would be allowed to continue to compete as a female.

"She is eligible at the moment," Davies said. "The question is more is there anything that will prevent her competing in the future, and that's exactly what we are trying to resolve."

The South African statement said: "The implications of the scientific findings on Caster's health and life going forward will be analysed by Caster and she will make her own decision on her future. Whatever she decides, ours is to respect her decision," it noted.