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Despite winning laurels for the country by winning two silver medals , India’s sprinter Dutee Chand said she is still fearful over her future in athletics. Dutee won her second Asian Games silver in the women’s 200 metres — four years after missing the last edition in a row over her gender.
Chand, denied gold in both sprint races by Bahrain’s Edidiong Odiong, was barred from the 2014 Games over her hyperandrogenism, which causes high testosterone levels and left her undergoing traumatic tests to prove her gender.
The athlete won a court battle for her right to compete with her hormonal imbalance, which also affects South Africa’s 800m Olympic champion Caster Semenya.
New athletics rules in place from November will bar runners with hyperandrogenism from middle-distance races, Semenya’s speciality, but allow sprinters with the same condition.
But Chand, 22, said uncertainty remained. The ruling by the International Association of Athletics Federations has been criticised, and could face challenges and amendments.
“My legal team helped me to come back,” said Chand. “But nobody could guarantee what will happen in the future. Caster Semenya is still fighting.
“There is always fear but you need to overcome it.”
Chand’s nagging doubts come despite a triumphant appearance in Jakarta, where she became the first Indian woman since sprint queen PT Usha in 1986 to win medals in both sprint events.
“God has given me a lot of trouble since 2014. I suffered a lot. Nobody could have suffered so much,” said Chand.
“But I came back to give two medals to India. It will be a big celebration back home.”
Chand led the 200m before Odiong stormed home in 22.96 to become only the fourth woman to achieve the 100m-200m double at a single Asian Games.
