Sports Minister Sonowal hails CAS decision on Dutee

Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday welcomed the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision that allowed Indian sprinter <g data-gr-id="19">Dutee</g> Chand to resume her racing career, which was brought to a halt owing to IAAF Regulation on Hyperandrogenism.

A CAS panel, chaired by Justice Annabelle Claire Bennett suspended the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) regulation, that governs <g data-gr-id="17">eligibility</g> of females with naturally-occurring Hyperandrogenism.

<g data-gr-id="15">Dutee</g> was barred from competing against women because her natural testosterone levels were too high.

“This is a great day for women sports and for Indian sports. It is a tremendous victory for India”, Sonowal said through a press release. <g data-gr-id="20">Dutee</g> had challenged the regulations and the decision of the AFI to ban her in September 2014. The Sports Ministry provided financial support to <g data-gr-id="21">Dutee</g> for her appeal and hearing in CAS. With the help of Ministry, she was reinstated in the Centre for Excellence, Patiala. The CAS has given the IAAF two years to present convincing scientific evidence establishing that naturally high testosterone levels provide an unfair athletic advantage to hyperandrogenic female athletes as compared to their peers.