New Delhi: The government assured all possible help to sprinter Dutee Chand to participate in future sports events after the athlete from Odisha was last week excluded from the Indian team for the Commonwealth Games on the ground of high androgen level.
“This is a very sensitive question. I assure the august House that our government will extend all possible help to this player to participate in future events,” Union Sports Minister Sarbnanda Sonowal told Lok Sabha.
Drawing the government’s attention to Chand’s dilemma, BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab said due to a “sex test” conducted, “promising career” of the ace athlete had come to a “grinding halt”.
“What is the definition of the female athlete? Why sex test is done on female only? This is discrimination,” Mahtab said holding Sports Authority of India and Athletic Federation of India responsible for her plight.
Referring to the laurels brought to the country by the athlete in 100 meter and 200 meter events, the BJD leader said the gender test conducted just ahead of the Games was “illegal”.
He questioned the sports organisations’ claim that Dutee is not fit under “female category” and said she should not be left in lurch. —PTI
