South Africa's runner Caster Semenya, current 800-meter Olympic gold medalist and world champion, arrives for the first day of her hearing at the international Court of Arbitration for Sport, CAS, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Monday, Feb. 18, 2019. Semenya has filed an appeal in the CAS against the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ruling, forcing female runners to medicate to reduce their testosterone levels for six months before racing internationally. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)

DURBAN - Champion middle distance runner Caster Semenya says she is not aware of the reported R25m funding by the South African government towards her legal fees as she squares up with the IAAF at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAA) in Zurich.

Semenya is challenging an IAAF proposed rule change that aims to restrict the levels of testosterone in female athletes.

Semenya released a statement through her legal representatives, Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa, where she denied that she had received R25m towards her legal bill as reported in the media this week. 

“It has come to my attention that on February 15 an article was published that the government has paid R25m towards my case. Whilst I have no knowledge of what was paid by the government to its legal and medical team in respect of its own case, my personal representation has been funded mainly by private funders and the portion funded by the government is a small fraction of the amount that has been quoted in the article,” said Semenya.

Semenya has also warned fans that she is not party to a petition which is running purpotedly to support her. 

“I have no knowledge of and have no affiliation to this petition and it has not been sanctioned by me. I will not be receiving any of these funds and donors are advised accordingly. I am grateful for all the local and global support that I have received,” said Semenya.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE