Premium

Dutee Chand knocks on CAS door

This is said to be the first time that such a motion is being filed since the IAAF regulation.

The SAI had been drumming up support for Dutee after she was disqualified to compete in the female category in CWG. (Source: Express File)

A formal appeal by sprinter Dutee Chand challenging the guidelines of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) that regulate the eligibility of women with hyperandrogenism has been filed in the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Lausanne on Friday.

A lawyer has filed the motion on behalf of the 18-year-old in Lausanne. “We have filed the appeal today (Friday),” Dr Payoshni Mitra, a research consultant on gender and sports issues nominated by Sports Authority of India to advice Dutee, told The Indian Express. “We are appealing against the IAAF policy, which we think is highly unscientific and unethical,” Dr Mitra added.

This is said to be the first time that such a motion is being filed since the IAAF regulation (on hyperandrogenism) came into affect in 2011. The lawyer, who has had the experience of filing motions with the CAS, is working on pro-bono basis. The Sports Authority of India is footing the bill for supporting costs.

The SAI had been drumming up support for Dutee in the aftermath of a test that showed excess androgen in her body, which in turn rendered her ineligible to compete in the female category. She was forced out of the Commonwealth Games bound contingent. “We are hopeful that the motion is dealt quickly and she can return to active sports,” SAI director general Jiji Thomson said.

Earlier in the day, SAI announced forming an advisory board of experts to advise Dutee as they prepare to challenge the prevalent hyperandrogenism policy. Apart from Dr Mitra, the panel includes former Olympian Bruce Kidd, who is also a professor of Kinesiology and physical education at University of Toronto and Dr Katrina Karkazis, a bioethicist at the Centre for Biomedical Resarch at Stanford University.