Caster Semenya Ignites Concern She May Quit After Testosterone Ruling

(Bloomberg) -- Caster Semenya, the two-time Olympic 800-meter champion from South Africa, stoked concern she may quit athletics with a series of tweets after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that female track athletes with naturally elevated testosterone levels must suppress the hormone to be allowed to compete in certain events.

Semenya tweeted in a local language that she was finished - “ke feditse.”

This was the tweet that started the speculation.

Still, the athlete ran and won the 800 meters in Friday’s Doha Diamond League track event, after filing a late registration. This could be the last time she can run her favorite distance before the new rules kick in.

Semenya has won widespread support from South Africans including some of the country’s top sportsmen and politicians in the wake of the ruling. Athletics South Africa said it was “deeply disappointed and profoundly shocked” by the ruling.

To contact the reporter on this story: Antony Sguazzin in Johannesburg at asguazzin@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: John McCorry at jmccorry@bloomberg.net, Gordon Bell, Rene Vollgraaff

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