Santhi stripped of Asiad medal: IOA

NEW DELHI: Indian Olympic Association on Monday confirmed that Santhi Soundarajan had failed the gender verification test and has been stripped of her Doha Asian Games 800m silver medal.

A day after, news broke out that the ace distance runner had failed the gender test at Doha, the IOA came out with a statement saying that Sathi had been disqualified from the competition on recommendations of the Olympic Council of Asia Medical Committee.

Santhi had failed the gender test after winning the medal and was pulled out of the 1500m event.

"Santhi Soundarajn, an Indian athlete winner of the silver medal in women's 800 m recently concluded 15th Asian Games in Doha, has been disqualified as per the recommendations of the OCA Medical Committee on the Games Rules Violation," the IOA said.

The IOA has asked AFI to return the medal as desired by the OCA.

"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.

Interestingly, the Tamil Nadu Government decided to brush aside the entire controversy and awarded the Chennai athlete Rs 15 lakh for her Doha show on "humanitarian" grounds.

This is not the first time that an Indian athlete has been involved in a gender controversy with Anusuya Bai and Nani Radha having failed such tests earlier in 1970s.

Santhi had 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.