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Semenya's return put on hold

Madrid - Caster Semenya's return to racing has been put on hold after an international track meet in Zaragoza was cancelled because of a budget shortfall.

Semenya, the South African runner who is still awaiting the results of a gender verification test, was expected to race at the June 24 event. It would have been her first competitive race since she won the women's 800m world title in Berlin last August.

The 19-year-old Semenya said in Ivory Coast on Wednesday that she was not aware the Zaragoza meet had been called off and had no immediate plans for her return. Semenya is in the west African country to receive an award from the Sports Action group, which promotes sport for young people.

Wearing a white tracksuit, and smiling for a group of teenagers who were present to welcome her, Semenya spoke briefly with an Associated Press reporter at the international airport in Abidjan before leaving in an SUV.

Semenya will receive the award at a ceremony in the Ivory Coast capital on Friday, and will also conduct coaching clinics this week with local athletes alongside her coach Michael Seme.

Semenya's newly established sports academy said she was a fan of Ivory Coast and Chelsea football star Didier Drogba, and was inspired to help disadvantaged athletes by what Drogba had done in his home country.

The International Association of Athletics Federations has said the Semenya case would be resolved by the end of June.

The Zaragoza meet had been in financial difficulties in past years, with the Spanish athletics federation saying their was no chance of the meet returning this year.

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