Golden girl Caster Semenya has reportedly been cleared to run as a woman, after nearly a year of speculation over her gender.

Quoting unnamed athletics sources, eNews reported last night that the International Association of Athletics Federations had given Semenya "the green light to run again".

The TV channel said there were no medical reasons to prevent the 800m world champion from competing on the international stage as a woman.

The 19-year-old's gender was cast into doubt last year after her sterling performance and remarkably improved time at the World Athletics Championship in Berlin, where she took the gold medal.

The IAAF confirmed it had conducted gender-verification tests on Semenya in Germany, sparking an outcry in South Africa.

The controversy intensified when an Australian newspaper later published an unconfirmed report that Semenya had been found to be a hermaphrodite, with no womb but internal testicles.

The Times understands that the test results - which are to be announced at a press conference today - will clear the Limpopo star to compete again.

Semenya refused to comment last night, saying only: "I don't talk to media. Talk to my lawyers." Her lawyers, from international firm Dewey & LeBoeuf, refused to comment.

Semenya's coach, Michael Seme, would only say: "I just came back from training and I did not hear anything about that, I can't confirm anything."

After months of speculation over whether Semenya would run again, Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile announced yesterday that he would release the results of her gender-verification tests today.

Stofile's spokesman, Manase Makwela, said he could not confirm that Semenya had been given the all-clear to run as a woman.

"I can only confirm that there is an outcome, but not whether it is positive or negative," Makwela said.

The IAAF could not be reached for comment.

At the height of the controversy, former Athletics SA boss Leonard Chuene admitted having lied when he had denied the local association had conducted its own gender tests on Semenya before she had left for Berlin. He later apologised.

Chuene was subsequently fired.