Dutee Chand says she is living under constant fear of being banned

International Association of Athletics Federations have a Hyperandrogenism policy which says that female athletes who naturally produce high levels of testosterone cannot be allowed to compete on the ground.

Athletics Federation of India banned Dutee in 2014 under this policy but she challenged AFI’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne, Switzerland.

In July 2015, the AFI’s ban was overturned by CAS and IAAF’s hyperandrogenism policy was suspended for two years. The world’s top sports tribunal said that IAAF’s policy will not be considered as legal if they are unable to provide any factual evidence that ‘female athletes who naturally produce high levels of testosterone have an unfair advantage.’

During that two year period, Dutee continued to compete for both national and international events. But her future again seems uncertain after IAAF’s decision last month to submit fresh evidence at the CAS in support of its previous policy.

The CAS, on July 27, again put a suspension on the controversial policy of the IAAF for two months until September and Dutee was allowed to participate in the World Championships. She did not get an automatic berth after not being able to touch the qualifying standard of 11.2 secs but got a late quota entry as the targeted number of 56 in the women’s 100m dash was not reached.

“I was thinking if this case comes back, whether I will be able to run again or not. I was thinking that I can be banned or something like that can happen. I was always under the constant fear that I can be banned and then how I will I run. Despite training so hard throughout the year, what is the use if I am banned.”, Dutee said.

Dutee finished sixth in heat number five of the women’s 100m first round, clocking a below-par 12.07 secs. She performed below her season’s best of 11.30 seconds.  Out of the 47 athletes competing in the event, she finished 38th.

“But I have got the chance to run at such a big event and in front of such a big crowd. The whole of India is watching on television and supporting me. I feel happy about representing the country.”, the 21-year-old Odisha girl added.

On being asked about her mental state while facing this ‘gender’ issue, she said, “There was to be a hearing on July 24 at the CAS. I was really broken during the Asian Championships (July 6-9) in Bhubaneswar because of this case.”