Promising Odisha sprinter Dutee Chand has been allowed to "continue to compete" till a final decision is given by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) on her appeal against IAAF's hyperandrogenism policy, an expert assisting her in the legal fight said today.
The appeal hearing against the world athletics body's hyperandrogenism policy, which bars female athletes having higher level of male hormones from competitions, ended in Lausanne on March 26 and a decision is expected in the next few months.
The 19-year-old Dutee was disqualified last year by the Athletics Federation of India as per IAAF's hyperandrogenism policy after tests revealed that her body produced natural levels of testosterone above permissible range.
She has a condition called hyperandrogenism and her body produces natural levels of testosterone so high to place her in the male range in eyes of international track and field.
"I cannot say much about the hearing as a final decision is yet to come. But, Dutee has been allowed to continue to compete till a final decision is given by the CAS," Dr Payoshini Mitra, a consultant on Gender and Sport Issues at the Sports Authority of India and who accompanied Dutee at the CAS, told PTI after returning home today.
It is, however, not clear whether Dutee is now given permission to take part in international events or not. In December last year, the CAS, in an interim order, has allowed Dutee to take part in domestic events. She took part in the January 31-February 14 National Games in Kerala and won a gold in women's 100m dash.
An AFI official, however, said that the federation has not got any communication from the CAS or the IAAF regarding Dutee's case.
"Before Dutee was allowed to take part in the domestic events in December, we were asked by the CAS whether we agree or object to it. We said we have no objection and that led to her participation in National Games," the official said.
"We have not got any communication either from the CAS or from the IAAF after the appeal hearing about any interim order or any direction that Dutee will be allowed in international events pending a final verdict. We are also a party to the case and we would have been told if there is something like this," he added.
