Johannesburg: Caster Semenya was not ecstatic when she came to know that she might be awarded the London Olympics 800m gold medal, after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) stripped Russian middle-distance runner Mariya Savinova-Farnosova of her Olympic gold medal for doping.

Semenya told The Pretoria News that earning the gold in this way would almost be an empty victory.

"I ran the Olympics and I won the silver medal, so I can't celebrate anything other than my silver, even if they crown me Olympic champion. It is just an award from them. It's much too late celebrate London Olympics gold now," Semenya said. "It wouldn't mean anything for me. It would be great for my country, but for me as an athlete I cannot entertain the thought."

Semenya could become the first female back-to-back Olympic 800m gold medallist and first women to win the double in the two-lap race at the Games. She had won the gold in the 800m at the 2016 Rio Games.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on Friday said Savinova-Farnosova had 45 days to appeal the CAS decision, which could drag the process.

Semenya came a step closer to becoming a double Olympic and World champion, after the CAS ruling that Savinova-Farnosova be stripped of her gold medals from the London 2012 Olympic Games and the 2011 World Championships. Semenya had come second on both occasions.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) had recommended earlier that Savinova-Farnosova receive a "lifetime ban from sport".

"On the basis of clear evidence, Mariya Savinova-Farnosova is found to have been engaged in using doping from July 26, 2010 through to August 19, 2013," CAS said in its ruling.