Having been cast aside by the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations), two-time Olympic 800m gold medallist Caster Semenya has joined JVW, a women’s football team South Africa.

With the 28-year-old unable to compete without taking testosterone-reducing drugs following a rule change by the athletics' governing body, meant that she couldn’t defend her 800m World Championship title in Doha – despite the fact that she is fighting the rule change through the courts.

Now training with the Gauteng-based women's football club, the three-time world champion, who announced in July that she would not be defending her 800m world title, cannot start playing for JVW until the 2020 season, having joined outside the country’s transfer window.

The 28-year-old Olympics legend said: “I am looking forward to this new journey and am really appreciating the love and support from my new teammates”.

Formed in 2013 by current South Africa Women's captain, Janine van Wyk, she said: "Caster is on a break at the moment which is why she has time on her hands to do something different.

"In training you can see football is there, in her, but we still need to work on her a bit because it's very different to athletics”.

van Wyk did, however, state: "She's made it really clear to me that she's not giving up running at all.

"It's amazing for the football club. The recognition women's football in South Africa will get is massive.

"To have her play in the league over here is incredible and I think young girls and her team-mates will draw a lot of inspiration from Caster."

Semenya is not the first athlete to switch to football - after retiring in 2017, Usain Bolt trained with Norwegian club Stromsgodset and Australian side Central Coast Mariners, but did not secure a contract. She is also following in the footsteps of her former coach Maria Mutola, who also turned to football after athletics.

The IAAF introduced its rule change because it argues female athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD) - such as Semenya - have "a competitive advantage".

British Athletics have confirmed that Harry Aikines-Aryeetey replaced CJ Ujah in the men’s 4x100m relay squad for the IAAF World Championships Doha 2019.

Aikines-Aryeetey, who anchored the British quartet to the European title in Berlin last summer, has been called up for Doha after fellow continental champion and world 4x100m relay gold medallist from London 2017 Ujah was forced to withdraw with a back injury.

Captain of the British team for the European Team Championships in Bydgoszcz last month, Aikines-Aryeetey was part of the 2009 World Championship bronze-medal winning 4x100m relay quartet and will make his fifth appearance at a global gathering and 29th for GB&NI since his debut at the World Youth Championships in 2005, where he won double gold.

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Aston Villa midfielder Aaron Tshibola has suggested he has left the club to continue his career in Belgium, based on a post on his personal Instagram account.

He said: ‘Let’s play some football ⚽️ happy for this new chapter in ?? can’t wait to start playing again, hungry than ever. Thank you father lord for your blessings & guidance in my life I am truly humbled and grateful I put you first.?? Thank you @avfcofficial and all the fans for your support and opportunity to play for this great club. Thank you @gt_11one’.

The player has never really made the grade at Villa Park, and as they have risen back through the divisions, the likelihood of him making it through to their first-team on a regular basis faded further.

Tshibola signed for Villa in 2016, shortly after they were relegated from the Premier League, but once Steve Bruce took over the Birmingham based side he fell out of favour, and never really became a part of the furniture again.

The Villa man left to attempt to revive his career last season, joining Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock, where he played a key role in leading them into the European places in the division, but as Steve Clarke departed for the national job, there was no return for the DR Congo international.

With Villa bringing in a whole host of midfielders over the last few transfer windows, it was clear that there would be no future for the 24-year-old now that they are back in the top flight, so leaving was going to be the only option.

The club is yet to make an official announcement about the departure of the London born player, which is strange considering that the transfer deadline for European clubs closed on Monday, but it would appear as though the midfielder has signed for Waasland Beveren in Belgium, where he will ply his trade in the top flight.

The Reading academy graduate thanked Villa in his statement on social media, and also declared how much he was looking forward to playing regularly again, and getting what was once a highly-rated career back on track, after a couple of years at Villa Park where it stalled.

British Athletics have confirmed that the Gateshead International Stadium will play host to the Müller Grand Prix in 2020, 2021 and 2024.

The renewed partnership means world class athletics will be returning to the North East in what has become a passionate host to the sport of athletics over the years.

Gateshead hosted international grands prix between 2003 and 2010, and is also the only venue to have held the European Athletics Team Championships three times (1989, 2000, and most recently in 2013).

Major Events Director for British Athletics, Cherry Alexander OBE is thrilled to be taking top level competition back to the north east and the athletics loving fans: “It’s brilliant to be returning to Gateshead. We know how passionate their spectators are and how much they appreciate and respect the heritage of the sport,” said Alexander.

“Gateshead International Stadium has proved time and time again it’s a fantastic venue to host world class athletics and international championships and we love working with them. We’re thrilled Gateshead Council recognises the benefits of hosting major sports events as it has proven with its longstanding support of the Great North Run and Junior Great North Run.

“The whole area is geared up for sport and activity and so we know the athletes will be in for a really warm welcome.”

Gateshead Council Leader, Councillor Martin Gannon said: “Hosting world-class athletics events will showcase Gateshead to an international audience helping realise our ambitious plans for growth and regeneration in the next few years. Gateshead has a proud history of staging major sporting events with athletics at its heart, so we welcome the opportunity to once again work with British Athletics.

“Events of this scale provide local people with inspiring opportunities to see top athletes perform up close, as well as being able to get involved in the event through volunteering. It will also bring a welcome boost to the local economy as well as encouraging participation in supporting activities aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of our local communities.”

British Athletics have announced a team of 72 athletes for the 2019 IAAF World Championships, which begin later this month in Doha, Qatar from September 27-October 6.

Dina Asher-Smith and Katarina Johnson-Thompson lead the team into the global gathering following a hugely successful past 12 months for the pair.

Asher-Smith heads to Doha as a triple European champion from 2018 and IAAF Diamond League runner-up this year over 200m while multi-eventer Johnson-Thompson has medalled at every major championships she has attended since the last worlds on home soil in London over two years ago.

Like Asher-Smith, Laura Muir, Zharnel Hughes and Matthew Hudson-Smith all also won individual European gold last summer and earn selection for another World Championships. Hughes will contest the 100m and 200m sprint double alongside Adam Gemili, who claimed the British title in the latter last month, with the pair the first men to do so since Marlon Devonish in Helsinki in 2005.

Gemili will have great memories of the World Championships stage having won 4x100m relay gold in London in 2017 with teammates Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake and CJ Ujah forming part of a seven-strong squad along with Richard Kilty.

In total 44 athletes return to the world stage having previously earned selection for London including world indoor champion Andrew Pozzi, European indoor champion Shelayna Oskan-Clarke, race walkers Tom Bosworth and Callum Wilkinson and finalists Lynsey Sharp, Holly Bradshaw, Morgan Lake and Nick Miller, Miller the world No.6 in the hammer in 2019, while a further 24 will make their World Championship debuts for GB & NI in Doha.

Amongst those are European indoor silver medallists Jamie Webb and Tim Duckworth and British champions Ojie Edoburun, Neil Gourley, Harry Coppell and Ben Williams, Williams extending his personal best in the triple jump to 17.27m last month for seventh on the all-time UK list and earning senior selection ten years on from winning the world youth title.

Among the 72 are 12 Scottish athletes with Gourley, Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman occupying all three places in the men’s 1500m, Jemma Reekie stepping up to the world stage having won double European under-23 gold this season and Eilish McColgan, who in addition to the 5000m, is competing in the 10,000m at a global gathering for the first time, an event in which her mother Liz won gold in Tokyo in 1991.

For the second major championships running there are more women (37) selected than men (35) with Cindy Ofili set for her first global outing since finishing an agonising fourth in the 100m hurdles at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Ofili clocked her quickest time since 2016, with a 12.85, in Switzerland on Sunday to guarantee her automatic selection.

With the British team winning an unprecedented medal in each of the four relays in London in 2017, a host of medallists return with 4x100m silver medallists Asha Philip and Daryll Neita running individually in the 100m and in the relay alongside Asher-Smith and fellow European champions Imani-Lara Lansiquot and Ashleigh Nelson as well as Kristal Awuah completing the squad of six.

Similarly, silver medallists from London in the 4x400m Zoey Clark, Laviai Nielsen and Emily Diamond return – with Nielsen and Diamond both running individually in the 400m – with Beth Dobbin and Jodie Williams included – the pair contesting the 200m themselves – as well as Jessica Turner, who doubles up with the 400m hurdles. Amy Allcock and Finette earn their first IAAF World Championships call ups.

In the men’s 4x400m, Martyn Rooney will equal Devonish for the record for the number of World Championship appearances at eight with fellow bronze medallists from London Dwayne Cowan, Rabah Yousif and Hudson-Smith joining him in the squad – Yousif running the individual alongside Hudson-Smith.

Cameron Chalmers is also included while Lee Thompson will make his world debut and Toby Harries is one of three to earn a maiden senior British vest – steeplechase duo Elizabeth Bird and Aimee Pratt completing the trio. The 15 athletes selected across the men’s and women’s 4x400m are also the athletes from which the team for the mixed 4x400m will be selected.

With a first wave of endurance athletes announced back in May, the British team stands at 72. Callum Hawkins will contest the men’s marathon however Dewi Griffiths has unfortunately had to withdraw through injury. Charlotte Purdue and Tish Jones run the women’s marathon and Cameron Corbishley and Dominic King go in the men’s 50km race walk.

Any invites for the IAAF World Championships 2019 in Doha will be considered in line with the British Athletics selection policy. Given the timelines outlined by the IAAF as to when these invites will be received, appeals will not be considered.

British Athletics Performance Director Neil Black said: “It gives me great pleasure to name the 72 athletes selected to compete for Great Britain & Northern Ireland at the IAAF World Championships in Doha, starting later this month. Given the standard of performances from British athletes this season, and the strength in depth we possess in several events, finalising the team was far from easy and there were some tough decisions to make.

“In the 72 athletes, I truly believe we have selected the strongest team possible to compete for medals on the global stage. The team is full of world-class athletes who over the past two years since we were hosts in London have proven that they belong on the global stage.

“It is great to see so many athletes return having competed in London and also see so many make the step up to the world level for the first time. We have selected more women than men once again for a major championships and special mention needs to go to Martyn Rooney, who is competing at his eighth World Championships, a truly remarkable feat for a great athlete.

“The Championships are going to be held in a challenging climate at the end of what has been a long season already but what pleases me the most is how our athletes and their coaches have approached the challenge and are ensuring that they peak when it matters most. The next three and a half weeks are key in preparing for the Championships and I look forward to watching our athletes flourish in Doha.”