If you are a weightlifter and you happen to belong to the fairer sex, then you have to prove that you are from the fairer sex i.e you have to prove that you are a female. If the Weightlifting Federation of India has its way then every female who happens to compete will have to prove that she indeed is a female.
I am not sure what is going on in their heads, but the question is why do Gender testing when the IOC itself has phased it out in 1999. What is the purpose of this testing, is it to rule out more of Santhi Soundarajan affairs ? Or do they suspect that men are masquerading as women for medals or does the WFI suspect people will go to any lengths for that peice of gold.
However rules are very clear that gender testing can be done only with the approval of the athlete itself. So what is the point if the athlete refuses to undergo the tests. Will they not be allowed to participate in the competitions or will they be disqualified from representing India.
This move is rather regressive and will in no way add to the improvement of the game. It is only going to get controversial.
Weightlifting, a sport which has been tarnished by doping allegations in India might see more troubles in coming times. The Weightlifting Federation of India seems to have opened a can of worms by going in for gender testing of female athletes. They plan to make it mandatory at national level competitions.
“It is not that they are suspect. It is only to rule off the possibility of this high level of ingredients in the body being due to external stimulus,” says Baldev Raj Gulati.
CNN IBN had broken the story of Santhi Soundarajan who was stripped of a medal for failing a gender test at the Doha Asiad in 2006. Only in the rarest of cases is gender testing allowed and that too after a complaint. In fact the International Olympic committee has officially stopped gender testing in 1999.
“There is no mandatory requirement so you should avoid certain delicate things rather than jumping into problems. If the rule doesn’t want it you (player) shouldn’t go for such things,” says Dr PSM Chandran.
The sports community too is up in arms at the move including the woman who is the face of Indian weightlifting.
“Something which is banned is being included deliberately. I don’t understand why they are doing this. This will harass players,” says Malleswari.
The Weightlifting Federations move is baffling as no athlete can be subjected to a gender test without her approval. So is it harassment or is there a deeper flaw in the system, these are some serious questions which still need to be answered.
