Santhi Soundarajan

Santhi Soundarajan (also spelled "Santhi Soundararajan", born April 1981) is an Indian athlete who competes in the middle distance track events. She was stripped of a silver medal won at the 2006 Asian Games after failing a gender verification test, disputing her eligibility to participate in the women's competition.

Biography

Santhi Soundarajan was born in 1981 in the village of Kathakkurichi in Pudukkottai District of Tamil Nadu, India.

Soundarajan holds the national record for the women’s 3000 metres steeplechase clocking 10:44.65 seconds. At a national meet in Bangalore in July 2005 she won the 800m, 1,500m and 3000m. She won the silver medal in 800 m at the Asian Championships in Incheon, South Korea in 2005.

Asian Games controversy

Soundarajan won a silver medal in the women's 800m race at the 2006 Asian Games held in Doha, Qatar in December 2006 clocking 2 minutes, 3.16 seconds. [http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/007200612092013.htm India strike it rich in track and field events] , The Hindu, December 9, 2006] However, she underwent a sex test shortly after claiming victory, and the results indicated that she "does not possess the sexual characteristics of a woman". [Indian athlete fails gender test. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6188775.stm.] Soon after the results of the sex test came out, she was stripped of her silver medal. [Indian silver medalist female runner at Asian Games fails gender test. Retrieved from http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/18/asia/AS_SPT_ATH_India_Medalist_Challenged.php.]

While such sex tests are not compulsory for competitors, the International Association of Athletics Federations can request that contenders take such tests at any time, and include intensive evaluation by a gynecologist, an endocrinologist, a psychologist, and an internal medicine specialist. According to her coach, P. Nagarajan, her upbringing in impoverished rural India, where she reportedly only started eating proper meals in 2004, could be a reason behind the test result. S. Sen (2006-12-20). "AFI to investigate Santhi case, uneven diet cited as possible reason". The Raw Story. Retrieved from http://rawstory.com/news/2006/AFI_to_investigate_Santhi_case_unev_12202006.html.]

Media articles later reported that Santhi might have been born with an intersexed condition known as Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS). [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/jul/30/olympicgames2008.gender The gender trap] ] [ name = "The Times of India" [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1109135.cms The sad story of Santhi Soundarajan] , The Times of India, January 9, 2007] This condition includes the existence of a 'Y' chromosome in women (typically only associated with a male genotype) and results in an inability to respond to Androgens. This unresponsiveness leads to a female body without female internal sex organs. Although the body produces testosterone, it does not react to the hormone. [ [http://sports.indiatimes.com/Santhi_Soundarajan_attempts_suicide/articleshow/2340671.cms Indiatimes Sports Sept 5 2007] ] Despite such intersexed conditions being accepted in the Olympics over recent years, the Asia Games seem to have failed to follow confidentiality protocol, resulting in Santhi's disqualification.Fact|date=June 2008

In September 2007, Santhi Soundarajan was reported to have attempted suicide, reportedly by consuming pesticide at her residence. [Santhi Soundarajan attempts suicide. Indiatimes Sports Sept 5 2007 http://sports.indiatimes.com/Santhi_Soundarajan_attempts_suicide/articleshow/2340671.cms ] The attempt was blamed on gender, economic, and sports pressure in India. [Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070905/india_nm/india293554.]

ee also

*Gender verification in sports
*Intersexual
*Sexual differentiation

References