Prejudice at play?

KOCHI: When you don’t do well, they say, ‘You are no good’. And when you do too well, they say, ‘Oh, she is not a woman.’” These are the words of Indian professional sprinter Dutee Chand, the winner of two gold medals at the 2014 Asian Junior Athletics Championships.

She was speaking from experience. For, in 2014, she went through a difficult period when she was excluded from the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Reason: Hyperandrogenism, or high testosterone levels.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) ruled her ineligible for the women’s category, putting an end to her prospects. Dutee’s is not an isolated case. Several woman sportspersons, including Indian track and field athletes Santhi Soundarajan and Pinki Pramanik, have also faced wrongful accusations of being male.

Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer, was the latest to be caught up in a gender debate following her win against Italy’s Angela Carini during the Paris Olympics on August 1, after Carini pulled out of the game. In the high-stakes sports arena, female athletes battle more than just their opponents; they also face an uphill struggle against deep-rooted societal norms and stereotypes. Traditional notions of femininity, which emphasise passivity, delicacy, modesty, and appeal to the male gaze, are in stark contrast to the aggression, strength, and competitive spirit required of athletes.

If women show such qualities, they are more likely to be labelled deviant, transgender, and manly in spor.