SAfrica Olympic committee says Semenya out of Commonwealth Games with back injury

Semenya out of Commonwealth Games with back injury

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s Olympic committee says Caster Semenya will miss the Commonwealth Games because of a back injury.

SASCOC chief executive Tubby Reddy says Semenya had an MRI and the scan confirmed the 800-meter world champion is unfit to make her return to major competition at the event Oct. 3-14 in New Delhi.

Reddy says the 19-year-old runner has been experiencing back pain. He added the SASCOC and Athletics South Africa agreed not to compromise her health by competing.

Semenya had hoped to challenge for gold at the Commonwealth Games after being cleared to run by the IAAF in July following a gender-test dispute.