Back injury forces world champ Semenya to pull out of Delhi Commonwealth Games

LONDON - World 800 metres champion Caster Semenya has pulled out of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games on medical grounds just hours after her coach announced that she was fit to compete.
Semenya, who returned to field in July after an 11-month gender investigation, has been struggling with a back injury sustained in training.

Her coach, Michael Seme, had earlier dismissed the problem as a minor niggle. “She had a slight pain in the back, but the issue has been blown slightly out of proportion,” he had said.

“She’s going to be 100 per cent fit. We are training and will be there,” The Telegraph quoted Seme, as having said earlier.

The South African Olympic Committee doctor overruled Seme’s decision hours later.

The Olympic Committee chief executive, Tubby Ready, said the scan “confirmed that she most certainly has a back problem”.

Semenya would have been the overwhelming favourite to win the Commonwealth Games 800m crown to the world title she won in Berlin last summer. (ANI)