The man given the task of trying to avert another Caster Semenya saga admits it will be impossible to bring in a catch-all rule for intersex cases.

Professor Arne Ljungqvist of the International Olympic Committee's medical commission will chair a conference on intersex athletes in October. The International Association of Athletics Federations is due to ratify new rules next month.

Ljungqvist did not agree high testosterone levels proved an unfair advantage, and called on Britain to set up a global intersex centre. Most cases were spotted at an early age. He said: "It depends on whether there are receptors to respond to the testosterone. One of the most common intersex disorders is androgen insensitivity syndrome. These are women who have no receptors. That means they cannot even dope themselves with testosterone so you could say, ironically, they are the most female creatures you can meet." - ©The Times, London