Trichy (Tamil Nadu): In 2006, Tamil Nadu sportswoman Santhi Soundarajan was stripped of her silver medal in the Asian Games after allegedly failing the gender test. However, the joy of winning a silver in the 800m race didn't last until she returned home. Just like Vinesh Phogat was stripped of her medal recently after being found overweight, the silver medal slipped away from Santhi's clutches.
The Tamil Nadu government had announced Santhi a prize of Rs 15 lakh. After she came to collect the award at the Secretariat, a top official informed then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi about her disqualification. He still appreciated her effort and presented her prize money for her brilliant performance.
After 18 years, such an event occurred again when Algerian boxer Imane Khelif made quick work of her Italian opponent. The boxer had faced an eligibility test earlier in an IBA tournament and that spurred controversy with users on social media saying that she is a biological male.
Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi posted on her Instagram page a few days ago in support of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif with the caption, "The femininity of women who stand tall will always be questioned. The same goes for our athlete Santhi and now you, Imane Khalif. Your strength and determination inspire us all"
Following this, the ETV Bharat contacted the Asian athlete Santhi and interviewed her regarding the issue of the gender test. She said, "I won a silver medal in the 800m race at the Asian Games held in Doha in 2006. That was my last competition. Medical experiments like gender testing should not be done. I see this as an attack against women"
"If things like this continue, many women will suffer from the test. No such test is conducted for men which is not right," she asserted. "We should see all human beings born in this world as equal. All governments and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) should treat men and women equally," added Santhi.
"I have not recovered from the psychological problems that I suffered till now. It is not easy to recover from such a problem. When I came to Tamil Nadu after the gender test in the Asian Games, Karunanidhi, who was the Chief Minister at that time, gave me Rs 15 lakh, gave me a house and saved my life. As the Tamil Nadu government supported my life then, the government should support all the players who suffer like me," added Santhi.
"The level of the hormone testosterone in a person's body is higher in men and lower in women. In particular, female athletes have higher levels of this hormone when training than males. Then we cannot refer to that woman as a man," Santhi concluded.
