She today is slowly turning out to be the ‘Messiah’ of the athletics world. Buoyed by the new IAAF policy on the level of testosterone for women athletes, Dutee Chand, who had a harrowing time in the last four years, is now trying to help other athletes, among who are double Olympic gold medallist Caster Semenya. The Odia athlete feels that today, ‘clean’ women athletes should not be hindered in any way by the IAAF if they have higher testosterone levels in their body. And for that she is willing to help others take on the world athletics parental body. Sakyasen Mittra caught up with Dutee and she was quite candid as she talked over the phone from Hyderabad, where she is currently training. Excerpts.
Why is this sudden sympathy for Caster Semenya after the new IAAF ruling titled ‘Difference of Sexual Development’ made public a few days ago?
This is not sudden. I know Caster since the 2016 Rio Games. We have been singled out because of the higher level of testosterone in our bodies in comparison to other women athletes. So it is but quite natural that we will develop a bond. We have kept in touch over phone and email for the last two years.
But then how can you help her?
Well I have already sent her the name of the lawyer who fought my case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. Jim Bunting of Montreal in Canada is a wonderful person indeed. When he took my case he told me, ‘Madam you go back to your training, let me handle the legal side’. We will win this. I want Caster to approach him to fight against the new IAAF ruling. I know what an athlete goes through mentally when she/he has to face impediments like the one imposed by the IAAF. Tell me if Caster commits suicide today who will take the blame. We did not inject excess testosterone inside our bodies, we were born with it. However, we have been singled out as some form of ‘cheaters’.
Tell me something, why this aggressive attitude?
It is not aggressive, it is fighting for your rights. The IAAF has said that if any women athlete has over five nanomol of testosterone in one litre of blood she will be asked to compete with men. Why? Do they ask men if they have the requisite level less to compete with women? Why is that we will be singled out? Thankfully the CAS ruling has stopped the sex determination tests. It is not a fight or anything; it is just standing up to your rights.
Tell us something about the bad times you endured when you were first banned in 2014, just before the Glasgow CWG.
It was horrific to say the least. Everywhere I went, I faced sarcasm and taunts. Malls, movie halls, public places – I became the cynosure of all eyes and believe me, the looks were more of hatred and suspicion than anything else. I would have given up the sport had it not been for senior athletes like Seema Poonia, Krishna Poonia and Navdeep Kaur. When SAI did not provide me with residential facilities, they were the one who fought for me. I am forever indebted to them. They have been of great support.
Well how did the association with Pullela Gopichand come about?
In 2016, I had asked then SAI DG Jiji Thomson to provide me a place in Hyderabad for training as my coach (Nagapuri) Ramesh Sir was stationed there. However, SAI did not have any residential facility in Hyderabad. I was at a loss about my future. It was then I got a call from Gopi Sir. He said, ‘Dutee I have heard about you. I have a room for you. Your coach has talked to me. You can come and stay here and train, you need not pay any expenses’. His gesture floored me completely. Initially, I did not meet him, but when I did, he said a lot to inspire and motivate me. I cannot ever express my gratitude to Gopi Sir.
Coming back to the upcoming Asian Games, how confident are you about winning a medal? The Asian Athletics Championships at Bhubaneswar last year where you won bronze did not have any Chinese and Japanese competitors. Will not they pose a huge challenge?
Well the qualification timing for the Asian Games is 11.67 seconds, so I think, I won’t have any problems qualifying. Frankly speaking, I am confident about getting a gold or silver as I am regularly clocking around the 11.30-second mark during training sessions. Prior to the Gold Coast CWG I had a hamstring injury for which I was not at my peak. However, I am now injury-free and hence I am quite confident that I will be in medal contention. In fact to tell you frankly, my aim before the Jakarta Asiad is to break the 11-second barrier in the 100 metres.
In the past you have been doing both the 100m and the 200m. What would be your priority now? Would you go for the double?
Personally now I would like to concentrate on the100 metres. I would have liked to go for the double, but my best bet certainly would be the 100m. So I am going to put all my energy into it. I have missed out on two successive CWGs, hence my sole focus is to win an Asian Games medal.
How have you grown as a person in the last four years keeping in mind, the trials and tribulations you have been forced to go through
I would say that I am a more confident human being now. I wouldn’t certainly want any athlete to face what I have gone through. but hadn’t all this happened I wouldn’t have been the fighter I am now. Yes, I’ve learnt never to give up. God will test your inner strength and you have to win that race.
Tell me something, is your height a disadvantage considering the fact that the Kazakh, Chinese and Japanese athletes are taller than you.
Well you can’t complain about height as you are born with it. The disadvantage that I have, I try to make it up with quick strides. The disadvantage lies when it is a close finish. when you have to chest the tape at the finishing line. The tall athletes certainly get an advantage because of their reach. I lost out on the silver at the AAC in Bhubaneswar because the Kazakhstan athlete (Olga Safronova) was taller than me and could chest the tape before I could even though I matched her stride for stride. But then you have to live with it. Can’t complain.
Your elder sister Saraswati has also been an athlete. How was she and your family supportive in your troubled times?
Without them, I wouldn’t have been where I am today. When I was diagnosed with excess of male hormone, they stood by me. You know our society, the way people make up things, more so if it has to do with a female. My family withstood all that was said of me. When I used to train alone, Saraswati used to help me. My family has been my pillar of strength.
We (women athletes with excess testosterone in their bodies) have been branded as ‘cheaters’. Why? We never injected the hormone. we were born with the deficiency
Dutee Chand
