Star Odisha sprinter Dutee Chand gets partial relief from CAS

Odisha Sun Times Bureau:
New Delhi/Bhubaneswar, Dec 18:

Star Odisha sprinter Dutee Chand, barred from taking part in any competition after failing International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)’s controversial new hyperandrogenism test, has got a partial reprive when the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), where she had filed an appeal in September this year, allowed her to participate in national events.

The Switzerland-based CAS, however, made it clear that it was only a provisional ruling and she continues to be barred  from taking part in international events till a final decision on her case is decided by the international apex quasi-judicial body on sports.

“It’s just a provisional ruling and what she has been allowed in the interim order may not hold true in the final one. So, we cannot say anything what will happen in the case. The CAS is having a break and so a final decision may come in three or four weeks,”

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) had debarred Dutee from any competition holding her ineligible under the IAAF’s controversial testosterone policy. Following this, the 18-year-old had filed an appeal at the CAS in September with the Sports Authority of India (SAI). a source familiar with the appeal proceedings at the CAS said.

The provisional ruling of the CAS, however, is not going to benefit Dutee much as there is no national event in the immediate future. It is off-season for athletics and the next major national event is the National Games scheduled at the end of January next year.

If the final decision from the CAS does not uphold the AFI ban by the time the National Games in Kerala begin on January 31, she will be able to take part in them.

“In any case, a final CAS ruling should come by January and so, this provisional ruling seems to have little significance for Dutee. There is no national event in which Dutee can run now,” the source said.

SAI had also issued orders to allow her train at the National Institute of Sports at Patiala. Earlier, she was found to have androgen levels higher than the permissible limit for a female athlete in a test conducted in Bangalore.