Injured Semenya withdraws from CWG

NEW DELHI - South Africa’s running sensation Caster Semenya was forced to pull out of the Commonwealth Games Wednesday owing to a back injury.

The withdrawal of the 800metres world champion from the Oct 3-14 Games was always on the cards as she was not comfortable while running in her last few races.

Earlier, South Africa’s men’s 800m world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi was ruled out of the Commonwealth Games due to a hamstring injury.

Shuaib Manjra, Team South Africa Chief Medical Officer said that Semenya underwent a MRI scan in Johannesburg Tuesday, which confirmed a back injury.

“Semenya underwent a medical scan and it confirmed a back injury. She also confirmed that she had been suffering serious lower back pain and had not been comfortable during her last few races,” said a release of the South Africa Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).

Manjra said the athletes well-being and health were priorities and while Semenya’s absence robbed South Africa of a potential gold medallist, he did not want to risk serious injury with top events like 2011 Athletics World Championships and Londons 2012 Olympics in the future.

“It would serve no purpose to have an athlete in Delhi who was struggling with any sort of injury that would compromise performance and it is our medical view that physically and emotionally she would not be capable of doing justice to her talent at an event of this magnitude,” said Majra.