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TNAA says Santhi not to blame
Santhi Soundarajan, the 800m runner who was stripped of her silver after failing a gender test at the Doha Asiad, has now got some support from the TNAA.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: February 25, 2007 10:38 AM IST
Read Time:2 min
New Delhi:
Santhi Soundarajan, the 800m runner who was stripped of her silver after failing a gender test at the Doha Asiad, has now got some support from the Tamil Nadu Athletics Association. Even as one door has shut behind her, another seems to have opened for her future. The Tamil Nadu Athletics Association says that Santhi can't be held responsible for her predicament since she was unaware of how and why her condition might cause her to fail a gender test. Mr Walson, the Joint Secretary of the TN Athletics Association who was also a technical delegate for the Doha Asiad, said the best way for the runner to end the controversy would be to undergo corrective surgery, which would also allow her to return to full competition in two years. His comment, however, is based on the assumption that hers is a condition that can be remedied through surgery. "I would say that it is not the mistake of Santhi. She has been participating in so many International competitions, Asian track and field, Asian Indoor Championship. None of the other competitors protested during the competitions. None of the officials requested for a test." "So, I would prefer Santhi should not be blamed because she was not aware of all these facts, also because she has come from a very rural area. If at all the responsibility of the federation, then the federation should not be blamed because we do not have the test now," said Walson, Jt Secretary, TN Athletics Association. There is still a huge amount of confusion over the reason Shanthi failed the gender test. Those details will only be known once the Indian Olympic Association's medical commission comes out with its report in a week. The TNAA, meanwhile, is unwilling to support any sort of witch-hunt against the athlete. In the meantime, Shanthi's future participation hinges on how keen the country's sports bodies will be on coming to her rescue and supporting her return to athletics.Topics mentioned in this article
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