Double Olympic 800 metres champion Caster Semenya offered to show her private part to athletics officials when she was 18 to prove she was female, the South African middle-distance runner said in an interview with HBO’s Real Sports that will air on Tuesday.

Semenya, now 31, burst onto the scene in 2009 when she won the women’s 800m world title by a stunning margin hours after the sport’s world governing body said she would undergo gender verification tests.

“They thought I had a dick, probably, Semenya said in the HBO Real Sports interview that will air at 10:00 p.m. ET (0200 GMT).

“I told them: ‘It’s fine. I’m a female, I don’t care. If you want to see I’m a woman, I will show you my vagina. All right?’”

Gender tests on Semenya reportedly showed the runner had no womb or ovaries but that she had internal testes, the male sexual organs which produce testosterone, and her levels of the hormone were three times that of a “normal” female.

Semenya has a condition known as hyperandrogenism, which is characterised by higher than usual levels of testosterone, a hormone that increases muscle mass and strength and the body’s ability to use oxygen.

She took medication after the first ruling in 2011 by World Athletics – then the International Association of Athletics Federations – that all female athletes with hyperandrogenism had to medically lower their testosterone levels.

“It made me sick, made me gain weight, panic attacks, I don’t know if I was ever going to have a heart attack,” Semenya told HBO Real Sports. “It’s like stabbing yourself with a knife every day. But I had no choice.

“I’m 18, I want to run, I want to make it to Olympics, that’s the only option for me.”

World Athletics lawyer Jonathan Taylor, speaking during the HBO Real Sports interview, disagreed with medical panels, including the World Medical Association, that condemned the sport’s governing body for requiring women with differences in sex development (DSDs) to take drugs to compete.

“You say medically it’s not healthy for me, then my question back to you is: ‘Why do the world’s leading experts say that that is what we would prescribe?’” said Taylor.

Semenya fired back: “Jonathan must cut his tongue and throw it away. If he wants to understand how that thing has tortured me, he must go and take those medications. He will understand.”

In 2020, Semenya lost her appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal to set aside a 2019 Court of Arbitration ruling that female athletes with high natural testosterone levels must take medication to reduce it.

She had approached the tribunal after CAS, sport’s highest court, ruled that the regulations of World Athletics were necessary for athletes with DSDs in races ranging from 400 metres to a mile to ensure fair competition.

Arsenal have held talks over a move for Napoli and Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen, 23, and are also continuing their attempts to land Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus, 25, from Manchester City. 

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel is set to have £200m to spend this summer as Todd Boehly’s takeover is on the brink of completion after the Premier League formally announced he had passed its ownership checks.

Brazil winger Raphinha, 25, has told Leeds United’s directors he wants to play for Barcelona, who had a £30m bid for him rejected earlier this year.

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, 35, could move to David Beckham’s Major League Soccer side Inter Miami after being released by Atletico Madrid. 

Italian Serie A side Salernitana “would love to sign” outgoing Manchester United and Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani, 35, according to Salernitana club president Danilo Iervolino. 

Belgium forward Eden Hazard, 31, has ruled out a summer departure from Real Madrid, insisting he is desperate to “show everyone what I can do” after an injury-plagued three years with Real. 

Everton and Crystal Palace both want to sign Watford and Senegal winger Ismaila Sarr, but Newcastle have ended their interest in the 24-year-old.

Wales forward Gareth Bale, 32, was offered to Atletico Madrid on a free transfer, but they turned him down. Bale is set to leave Atletico’s rivals Real Madrid in the summer. 

Arsenal have held talks over a move for Napoli and Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen, 23, and are also continuing their attempts to land Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus, 25, from Manchester City.

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel is set to have £200m to spend this summer as Todd Boehly’s takeover is on the brink of completion after the Premier League formally announced he had passed its ownership checks. 

Brazil winger Raphinha, 25, has told Leeds United’s directors he wants to play for Barcelona, who had a £30m bid for him rejected earlier this year. 

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, 35, could move to David Beckham’s Major League Soccer side Inter Miami after being released by Atletico Madrid. 

Italian Serie A side Salernitana “would love to sign” outgoing Manchester United and Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani, 35, according to Salernitana club president Danilo Iervolino. 

Belgium forward Eden Hazard, 31, has ruled out a summer departure from Real Madrid, insisting he is desperate to “show everyone what I can do” after an injury-plagued three years with Real.

Everton and Crystal Palace both want to sign Watford and Senegal winger Ismaila Sarr, but Newcastle have ended their interest in the 24-year-old.

Wales forward Gareth Bale, 32, was offered to Atletico Madrid on a free transfer, but they turned him down. Bale is set to leave Atletico’s rivals Real Madrid in the summer.

World number two Daniil Medvedev and 2021 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas reached the French Open second round but 14th seed Denis Shapovalov made a surprise exit.

Russia’s US Open champion Medvedev, 26, won 6-2 6-2 6-2 against Argentine Facundo Bagnis, ranked 103rd.

Fourth seed Tsitsipas flirted with a shock defeat when he dropped the first two sets to Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti.

But the Greek 23-year-old fought back to win 5-7 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-2.

Musetti went two sets up against eventual winner Novak Djokovic in the fourth round last year before retiring injured in the fifth and surged into another commanding position against Tsitsipas.

The 20-year-old edged a tight opening set and raced into a 4-0 lead in the second, winning seven games in a row, as he ramped up the pressure on his more accomplished but out-of-sorts opponent.

But Tsitsipas dominated the third set, claiming 100% of his first-service points and hitting 13 winners to haul himself back into the match, and continued to outfox the world number 66 to set up a decider.

With Musetti’s challenge fading, Tsitsipas broke serve at the earliest opportunity as he comfortably claimed the fifth set to complete a gutsy late-night comeback on Court Philippe Chatrier.

“Things weren’t easy for me in the first two sets,” said Tsitsipas, who will face Czech qualifier Zdenek Kolar for a place in the last 32.

“It was positive and a good effort in the end. I wasn’t feeling very good in the first two sets, something was off with my game. Lorenzo wasn’t giving me any rhythm.”

Meanwhile, 2021 Wimbledon semi-finalist Shapovalov said he “didn’t really show up” in a straight-sets defeat by Danish 19-year-old Holger Rune.

The 23-year-old Canadian, who reached the last eight at the Australian Open earlier this year, made a huge 53 unforced errors as the 2019 junior Roland Garros champion won 6-3 6-1 7-6 (7-4).

Australia’s Alex de Minaur, seeded 19th, also suffered an early exit following a final-set tie-break against French 21-year-old Hugo Gaston, who prevailed 4-6 6-2 6-3 0-6 7-6 (10-4).

Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev had to come from a set down to defeat South Korean Kwon Soon-woo 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-2 6-4.

Elsewhere, Frenchman Benoit Paire served 24 double faults in a 6-3 7-5 1-6 7-5 loss to Ilya Ivashka.

Paire had lost in the first round in 10 consecutive tournaments before picking up a victory at last week’s Geneva Open – his only win on the ATP tour this year.

Bagnis hampered by injury in Medvedev defeat

Medvedev reached his first quarter-final at Roland Garros last year having lost in the first round the four previous times, and had been unsure of his participation after a hernia operation in April.

“I love Roland Garros, especially since last year. I hope this year I can go further,” said Medvedev, who will meet Serb Laslo Djere next.

“When I went under the operation I didn’t think I was going to play on clay, but I managed with the doctor and physio to get back. Physically, I feel 100 per cent.”

Bagnis, 32, immediately responded after seeing his serve broken in the opening game – but that was to prove a rare glimmer of hope for him against Medvedev on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

In a dominant display, second seed Medvedev won nine successive games as he efficiently settled the first set and took a commanding 4-0 lead on his way to clinching the second.

The Russian, unable to compete under his national flag because of the war in Ukraine, saw his progress checked as Bagnis – struggling with a calf issue throughout – broke back to level the third set at 2-2.

But that only served to refocus Medvedev, who rattled through the next four games to end the contest after just one hour and 38 minutes.

Bagnis could be fined his full prize money if it is decided that his injury prevented the Argentine meeting the required professional standard.

“It was a tough first round. I tried to give my best. I didn’t have it in my best condition, I had a problem last week in my leg, but I came here to Roland Garros to get ready and try to give 100 percent,” Bagnis said.

“But today after the warm-up I felt it again, the problem, so it was tough because I think I couldn’t play, but I wanted to continue. I wanted to finish the match, so, I tried to do it, but it was not to easy so that’s the reality.”

Skupski and Koolhof make winning start

In the men’s doubles, Britain’s Neal Skupski and Dutch team-mate Wesley Koolhof had to come from behind against Koolhof’s compatriots Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp to reach the second round.

Sixth seeds Skupski and Koolhof fought back to win 4-6 6-3 6-3 and continue their fine form this year.

The pair have claimed a tour-leading four titles so far this season and won their first ATP Masters 1000 title together at the Madrid Open earlier in May.

Having won 32 matches in 2022, with their other successes coming in Melbourne, Adelaide and Qatar, they arrive in Paris full of confidence.

Skupski’s best Grand Slam performance is a run to the 2019 US Open semi-finals, then alongside fellow Briton Jamie Murray, while Koolhof reached the New York final in 2020 with partner Nikola Mektic.

Erling Haaland has flown to the UK to complete his £51.2m transfer to Premier League champions Manchester City.

City announced this month they had reached an agreement with the Norway forward to join them from Borussia Dortmund.

With title celebrations over, Haaland, 21, has now arrived to finish the final details of the transfer before heading off on international duty.

City are also eyeing a possible move for Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

Haaland’s arrival is part of what promises to be a busy summer at City.

With Brazilian Fernandinho, 37, leaving, manager Pep Guardiola is set to take the opportunity to bolster his squad.

He is looking at central midfield as an area that needs strengthening, with the 26-year-old Phillips – named in the England squad earlier today – one of the players of interest.

With Leeds securing their top-flight survival at the weekend, it will not make a move for Phillips easy, although City are unlikely to encounter the same stubbornness from Elland Road as they experienced with Tottenham around their pursuit of Harry Kane 12 months ago.

It is not anticipated Haaland will speak to the media until his return for pre-season training in July ahead of City’s short tour to the United States.

The Premier League has approved the £4.25bn takeover of Chelsea by a consortium led by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly.

The league says the consortium has passed its owner’s and directors’ test.

The Premier League club was put up for sale before owner Roman Abramovich wassanctioned over links to Russian president Vladmir Putin  

The purchase remains subject to the Government issuing the required sale licence.

The final stages of the transaction will then need to be completed.

The government does not want Abramovich to make any proceeds from the sale but sources are optimistic about a deal being finalised on Tuesday night.

“We now believe everyone will be ready to issue the necessary licences” said one insider.

“The last remaining hurdle boils down to a number of final technical details that are being discussed with the club.”

Earlier this month the deal had seemed close to collapse  over concerns proceeds would not reach good causes as promised by Abramovich.

Abramovich debied that he had asked for his 1.5b loan  to Chelsea be repaid when the club was sold.

Several parties expressed an interest but Chelsea agreed to sell to the Boehly-led consortium earlier in May 

The consortium is led by Boehly but Clearlake Capital, a Californian private equity firm, would own a majority of the shares in Chelsea. Other investors include US billionaire Mark Walter, also a co-owner of the LA Dodgers, and Swiss billionaire Hansjoerg Wyss.

Chelsea have been allowed to continue operating under a special government licence which expires on 31 May.