‘Hormonal Level Cannot Increase Performance’: Dutee Chand Speaks Out on Imane Khelif Controversy

The Paris Olympics have been shrouded in another controversy after female Italian Boxer Angela Carini quit her Women's 66 KG bout against alleged ‘biological male’ Algeria's Imane Khelif. 

As social media has been spreading rage over Khelif's participation at Paris Olympics, India's elite sprinter Dutee Chand who herself faced a similar situation to that of Imane Khelif has come out and backed the Algerian Boxer over the controversy citing past ruling. 

Dutee Chand defends Imane Khelif 

Indian sprinter Dutee Chand was banned from the Commonwealth Games in 2014 after failing a similar testosterone test due to her elevated testosterone levels. Dutee Chand fought the case in 2015 managed to uplift her ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.  

Dutee Chand defended Imane Khelif saying athlete with higher testosterone doesn't mean that the athlete gets an advantage in performance.  

“In 2014, I challenged the IOC's rule that a person with a higher testosterone level should not participate in the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. It was noted that hormonal level cannot increase athletic performance,” said Dutee Chand defending Khelif. 

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Dutee Chand further said that Carini gave up on her own and IOC runs a lot of tests before participation so there's no point in creating controversy. 

“I suffered a lot at that time. I faced a lot of controversy regarding my gender. Yesterday, during the Olympic match, (Angela) Carini gave up and now she is complaining about the Algerian boxer because of high testosterone levels. When you play in the Olympics, you undergo several tests. I don't think it is right to create controversy about this social media,” said Dutee Chand.

Also Read | Is Imane Khelif Really A 'Biological Male'? Here's Another Side To Story

Similarities between Imane Khelif and Dutee Chand's condition

Dutee Chand suffered from a condition of hyperandrogenism in which a person's androgen levels including testosterone levels are elevated. 

Similarly, Imane Khelif who was born a female has a condition called DSD - Differences of Sexual Development in which a person's chromosomes and testosterone levels change.