Just a few months ago, Santhi Soundarajan was the butt of late night jokes on American TV and the subject of outraged editorials in Indian newspapers as the Indian woman athlete who failed a gender test.
While details are scarce and confusing, news reports have it that Soundarajan, who won the silver in the women’s 800 metre event for India at the Asian Games in Doha last year, failed a routine test carried out by a team of doctors (including a gynecologist, endocrinologist, psychologist and internal medicine specialist). Their consensus? Soundarajan “does not possess the sexual characteristics” necessary to qualify as a female of the species.
Or maybe they just saw an Indian win a medal in a sporting event and thought, Now what’s wrong with this picture? Hey, don’t hate on me – I’m just pointing out what you already know.
Published – September 2007
IndieQuill Blog – Full Article
LONDON, Ont. — Kristen Worley grabs a large pink gym bag out of her car and walks into the women’s change room at the Forest City Velodrome.
She emerges in skin-tight racing gear provided by a potential new sponsor and carefully tucks her ponytail into an aerodynamic helmet for her final workout on her home course before the women’s national track cycling championships, being held this weekend in Dieppe, N.B. A good showing will give her a shot at qualifying for next year’s Olympic Games in Beijing.
Published – September 2007
Globe & Mail – Full Article
MUMBAI (Reuters) – Middle-distance runner Santhi Soundarajan, who was stripped of her Asian Games medal after failing a gender test, was in hospital on Wednesday following an apparent suicide bid, police said.
“It is a possible suicide attempt,” police superintendent Kapil Kumar told Reuters. “The doctors are yet to confirm what she consumed.
“She is out of danger now and is not accepting the version of suicide now,” he added.
Local athletics official Jehangir told Reuters Soundarajan had taken pesticide in her home town in Tamil Nadu.
Published – September 2007
Reuters Full Article
