Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Government honors a Female Athlete who failed Gender Test

In a strange incident, a female Indian runner, Santhi Soundarajan, aged 25, who won a silver medal in the women's 800 meters at the 15th Asian Games at Doha , failed a gender test and was stripped of the medal. The Indian Olympic Association has been told by the Olympic Council of Asia that Santhi Soundarajan has been disqualified. Now Indian Olympic Association has asked the Athletic Federation of India to return the silver medal won by Santhi as desired by the Olympic Council of Asia.

More bizarre is that as per a report in The Hindu, yesterday Ms. Santhi Soundarajan was honored by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu state Mr. M. Karunanidhi along with three other sportspersons. Chief Minister gave an amount of Indian Rupees 15 lakh ( US $ 33,350 ) and a huge plasma television set to Ms. Santhi. Now state Government is defending the case on the basis that there is no compulsory gender test for athletes participating in such games & this test was done after winning the medal by Santhi.

Now how correct it is to give all such amount & rewards to an athlete who is embroiled in such a controversy? Read More: Karunanidhi honours Santhi

» Send to a friend / Read Comments / Print Page / Permalink / Top of Page

Click on your Country Flag to Read in Your Own Language.........