Sports scientist Tim Noakes believes intersex athletes were banned from competition by the International Athletics Federation (IAAF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to protect the image of the sport and not because of any proven unfair advantage gained by women with the condition.

"As many as eight intersex women may have been expelled from athletics in the past and I gather that they were warned that if they made a fuss, they would be exposed. So it seems it's not about athletic advantage, it's about keeping the Olympics free of unwanted complications. It sends the message that women must do what men say and if the eight athletes had to be sacrificed, so be it, which I find very disturbing," Noakes told the Sunday Times.

Noakes is the South African-based co-founder of the IOC's Olympic Science Academy and of the Sports Science Institute in Cape Town.

World 800m champion Caster Semenya is currently awaiting the results of gender verification tests before being allowed to compete again, but Noakes was unequivocal that, whatever the outcome, she should continue to participate competitively.

"My view is that Caster Semenya should be allowed to run. She is not running as fast as men nor is she running as fast as some other women. If she was running 1:41, then we would have a problem," Noakes said.

Noakes also said he was unhappy with the decision to send Semenya for testing.

"There is no single test that will show whether you are more male than female. To me, forcing such athletes to undergo hormonal treatment in order to compete is also wrong. I don't believe the eight previous cases were treated with respect and I believe South African athletics bosses were right in not pandering to the IAAF.

"There are some genetic variants allowed in sport. I would argue, for example, that Usain Bolt is genetically different. If these genetic variants are linked to gender, then so be it," Noakes said.