New Delhi: In a blow to her fledgling international career, young sprinter Dutee Chand will not be able to compete in the female category in athletics meets for the time being, the Sports Authority of India confirmed on Wednesday following gender tests on the runner over the past few days.
SAI, which had arranged the tests on Dutee — to learn the eligibility of females with acceptable hyperandrogenism levels to compete in women’s events — affirmed the positive outcome saying that “the athlete has excess androgen in her body and is therefore not eligible to compete in the female category”.
In a statement on the day, SAI didn’t disclose the name of the athlete for ‘confidentiality protocol’, and said: “The athlete will still be able to compete in the female category in future if she takes proper medical help and lowers her androgen (hormone) level to the specified range. Meanwhile, she will not be allowed to compete in the female category.”
SAI director general J.J. Thomson told this paper that the tests were conducted after “AFI made an official request to them” rubbishing reports that there were protests in the national camp in Bengaluru over the issue.
In the past few days, there have been suspicions over a reported gender test on the athlete from Orissa. And on Wednesday, the Athletics Federation of India’s last minute exclusion of the athlete from the squad for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games made things clear.
Dutee has been in impressive form of late, winning the 200m and 4x400m golds at the Asian Junior Championship in Chinese Taipei last month.
