Wesley Botton

By Wesley Botton

Chief sports journalist


WATCH: Caster ditches the track for a soccer field!

No, this is not a late April Fools joke!


Middle-distance runner Caster Semenya, sidelined from the track as she awaits the results of a court appeal against international gender rules, has reportedly rekindled her passion for football by signing with a local women’s team.

According to @LimSportsZone, a social media platform which shares local football info and results from Limpopo, Semenya had registered with the JVW FC team owned by Banyana Banyana captain Janine van Wyk, which was based in Bedfordview.

The 800m world and Olympic champion was apparently due to turn out for the side in the Gauteng division of the Sasol Women’s League.

“The 28-year-old started training with the team on Tuesday,” according to @LimSportsZone, which shared a video clip of Semenya participating in training drills in football kit.

In turn, South Africa’s sprinting queen tweeted photos of a ball and boots.

Semenya had been banned from the IAAF World Championships in Doha later this month while her appeal was being heard against rules which restricted athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD) from competing in certain track events.

Though her future in the sport of athletics remained unclear, however, Semenya had repeatedly unveiled her passion for football, and the IAAF’s DSD regulations did not affect her participation in other codes.

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