'It's like racing a man' says Semenya rival

Caster Semenya is back in the spotlight after rival 800m runners kick-started another gender debate when the South African beat a top-class field in Berlin overnight.

Semenya recently returned to the sport after missing 11 months of competition while undergoing gender tests following her gold medal performance at the World Championships last year.

"It's obviously a human rights issue but human rights affect everyone in the race, not just one person," Britain's Jemma Simpson, who finished fourth, told the Telegraph.

"It's a really tough subject and a lot of people are very careful about what they say. You have to be. You have to be diplomatic and keep your opinions to yourself but sometimes it is so frustrating."

And Simpson was not the only athlete who spoke openly after the race about the return of Semenya.

"Even if she is a female, she's on the very fringe of the normal athlete female biological composition from what I understand of hormone testing. So most of us just feel that we are literally running against a man," said Canadian Diane Cummins.

The New Zealand Herald