Gender Testing in Womens Athletics: The History

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The Logical Indian Crew

Gender Testing in Women's Athletics: The History

Gender testing first began in 1950 through physical examinations in athletics. These tests were conducted exclusively for women athletes.

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Gender verification test or simply the gender test conducted to ascertain the sex of an athlete is a rampant practice in function across various formats of all the games around the world. An athlete has to go through gender testing if they are found suspicious of competing in the disguise of a female player while being a male. This rudimentary set of practices have never been the subject of concern in the public domain.

Today, the very same topic is trending across all the social media platforms with catchy hashtags. The release of Tapsee Pannu starter 'RASHMI ROCKET' talks about the plight of women athletes forced to take up sex tests proving their sex identity.

When It First Started

The advent of the archaic 'sex test' traces back to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. The president Olympic committee Avery Brundage advocated the need to examine the gender of female athletes to dispel any room for 'sex ambiguities'. The testing began in 1950 through physical examination, which asked the females to parade naked before a panel of doctors. These tests were conducted exclusively for women athletes. Over time, the test changed its form, from physical examination to chromosome testing to hormone testing.

These tests have reared their ugly head over time by often claiming the mental health and lives of the deserving athlete. Santhi Soundarajan, the first Tamil woman to win a silver medal at the 2006 Doha Games, was made to go through the test after she won the medal.

The test was conducted without her knowledge and consent. The matter flared up the controversy after she failed a gender test and was forced to return her medal. She admitted that misery took a heavy toll on her mental health and declined her career trajectory.

In another similar case of spinster Duttee Chand, India's 10 -meter champion in the U18 categories was forbidden from competing against women. She has a condition called hyperandrogenism where her body produces natural testosterone levels, making her fall into the male category according to the standards.

Also Read: 5-Yr-Old Football Prodigy, Known As 'Little Messi' Signs For Arsenal Football Club

Contributors Suggest Correction
Writer : Shweta Singh
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Editor : Snehadri Sarkar
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Creatives : Snehadri Sarkar

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