IOA takes back Santhi's Asiad medal
IOA takes back Santhi's Asiad medal
On Sunday night CNN-IBN had broken the news that Santhi had failed the gender test at the Doha Asian Games.

New Delhi: Indian athlete Santhi Soundarajan who failed the gender test has been stripped of her Doha Asian Games medal.

Santhi had taken part in the women's 800 meters and won the silver medal.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday confirmed that the athlete's medal has been taken back.

On Sunday night CNN-IBN had broken the news that Santhi had failed the gender test at Doha and the IOA had said that the athlete had been disqualified the Asian Games on recommendations of the Olympic Council of Asia Medical Committee.

The athlete was also scheduled to take part in the 1500m for women but was pulled out after failing the gender test.

"Santhi Soundarajan, an Indian athlete winner of the silver medal in women's 800 m recently concluded XVth Asian Games in Doha, has been disqualified as per the recommendations of the OCA Medical Committee on the Games Rules Violation," PTI quoted the IOA as saying.

The Athletics Federation of India will return the medal, the IOA said.

"IOA has asked Dr Manmohan Singh, Chairman, Medical Commission of IOA to enquire into the matter and submit a report to IOA within 10 days," it said.

However, Santhi failing the gender test did not deter the Tamil Nadu Government from honouring the athlete.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi presented the athlete with Rs 15 lakh at a ceremony on Monday.

Athletes failing gender test is nothing new for Indian sports. In the 1970s Anusuya Bai and Nani Radha had failed the test.

Santhi had also won a gold in both 800m and 1500m in South Asian Games in August this year besides clinching a silver in Asian Athletics Championship in Incheon, South Korea.

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