London - British athlete Jenny Meadows says Caster Semenya's return to competition has not been accepted by her fellow 800 metres runners.

According to the Guardian website, Meadows, who won bronze for Britain at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin last year (in which Semenya claimed the gold medal), has always been sympathetic to the plight of the South African, who faced questions over her gender following her world title victory, but she doubts other athletes will follow her example.

"I don't think there is acceptance, to be honest," Meadows said. "When I raced in Gateshead I know some of the other girls were saying: 'Oh, so Caster's back,' and the tone of their voices was sort of: 'What's it going to be like with Caster back?'

Meadows has been critical of athletes who have been "less gracious" in responding to the controversial case, which concluded when the International Association of Athletics Federations cleared Semenya to run this month.

Immediately after the world championship final last year two competitors publicly questioned Semenya's gender.

"Just look at her," said Mariya Savinova of Russia, and Elisa Cusma Piccione of Italy went one step further, saying: "I am not taking (Semenya's win) into consideration – for me she is not a woman. I am also sorry for the other competitors ... It is useless to compete with this and it is not fair."

Meadows says even before that race the mood in the call-out room was uncomfortable, with athletes "staring and laughing" at Semenya.

Semenya is targeting gold at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in October, where Meadows believes the South African will be "a huge threat".