In July of 2014, while Dutee was a teenager weaving dreams of running in Glasgow Commonwealth Games (CWG), a tumultuous event literally ‘off track’ them. His body was tested and found to be producing testosterone in a range mostly associated with the male body – a condition known as hyperandrogenism.
List of Commonwealth Games of India exercise The squad was reduced from 33 to 32. Dutee, who was deemed ineligible to compete in the women’s category, was kicked out of the tournament by the Athletics Federation of India, due to a rule by the governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations (now World Athletics).
Asked to take medication or undergo surgery to keep her testosterone levels within the accepted range for the female body, Dutee made a statement at the time: “I wouldn’t change for anyone.”
Perhaps Dutee got that style of fighting from her childhood days, when, as she told TimesofIndia.comHis seniors used to ragging him in the sports hostel. He used to tease me by saying ‘ladka, ladka’ (boy, boy) because my voice was heavy.”
(twitter photo)
Dutee, daughter of a weaver couple from Chaka Gopalpur village in Odisha, fought a protracted legal battle against the hyperandrogenism rule as well, which was eventually won after knocking on the doors of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) . ,
CAS suspends IAAF’s hyperandrogenism policy.
Dutee went on to start an exclusive conversation by saying, “2014 was really tough for me, when a lot of voices were raised against my gender. TimesofIndia.com.
She got emotional as she recalled that period in her life, though she never lost her smile while talking about her exams.
And she is finally heading to her first Commonwealth Games, which is set to start in Birmingham on 28 July.
After being forced out in 2014, Dutee also failed to make it to the 2018 CWG in Gold Coast. In Birmingham, she will make that dream come true as part of India’s women’s 4x100m relay team.
India’s pride Dutee Chand. National Records, Medals, and Our Hearts ️ – Here’s everything you need to know… https://t.co/otRNKBHdWC
— Olympic Games (@OlympicKhel) 1654076700000
Why is Dutee competing in only one event (relay) AT? Commonwealth Games 2022,
Dutee’s time did not meet the standards for inclusion in her pet event – the 100m. However, she explained that she was targeting the Asian Games in China, which were unfortunately postponed due to COVID-19, over the CWG.
“I was basically preparing more for the Asian Games. The coach said that we have more chances of winning an (individual) medal in the Asian Games. We were not thinking much about the Commonwealth Games. Games postponed, with the coach saying there was little time to gain momentum (one needs to be competitive in the 100m in the CWG).
“In CWG, it’s tough to finish among medals in the 100m, where athletes with personal best times of 10.6, 10.7, 10.8 seconds compete. At this level my body is not in that range. But at the Asian Games, you do. can join medals with a time of 11.2 or 11.3. Last time (in 2018), I saw 11.32 (silver in 100m at Jakarta Asian Games) for medals,” she further shared TimesofIndia.com,
Actually, Dutee won two silver medals in the 2018 Asiad. The second was in the 200 meters event with a time of 23.20 seconds. And it turned Dutee into a big star. Four years before that, she had also won the 200m Junior Asian Championships gold in Taipei in 2014.
(Photo: Dutee Chand Twitter)
dispute and dispute
But controversial things always ran with Dutee – from the 2020 BMW controversy where she put her car on sale to raise funds for training, to her recent revelations about her love-and-hate relationship with the Odisha government. He was ragged during his sports hostel days.
A revelation in May 2019 landed Dutee in a storm of criticism.
he made her homosexual relationship public, and a “backlash” followed.
“In 2019, when I made my homosexuality and relationship with my partner public, I faced a lot of backlash for a few months. Many people started opposing me, with many institutions criticizing me. That our culture doesn’t accept homosexual relationships. Fingers were being pointed again against my gender,” the 26-year-old told TimesofIndia.com.
Dutee kept a brave face, took tough questions on her chin, but never held back about who she was and who she wanted to be. Indeed, he decided to wear his identity with pride. The hardest part – announcing to the world who she was – was over. Now, it was about to weather a hurricane.
“Most athletes only fight (compete) on the track, but we (gay) have to fight in our personal lives as well as on the track. But I’m used to it now (smiles).
Always focus on everything about yourself that you love. Tell yourself how proud you are for the hard work you put in… https://t.co/ATI57Sa3lE
— Dutee Chand (@DuteeChand) 1653365590000
wedding planning
Has the opposition you faced towards your relationship in the past three years turned into acceptance? Dutee says she has things around her except a few sporadic, distasteful social media posts.
“Women around me are supportive now. I have no problem there. But there are instances on social media when my name is used to create controversy, people make lewd comments about me.
“But in real life, no one talks like this whenever I go out. They just ask ‘When are you going to marry your partner? (smile).
Gay marriage is not yet legalized in India. The matter is still pending in the court. Therefore, gay couples in India cannot enter into a registered marriage by law. In 2018, the Supreme Court of India decriminalized homosexuality.
Last December, a gay couple in Hyderabad took the wedding vows in front of family and friends. Earlier this month, a gay couple got married in a traditional ceremony in Kolkata, with pictures from their wedding doing the rounds on social media. This was the first public gay marriage in Kolkata.
(Photo: Dutee Chand Twitter)
Dutee has all that information, as she plans to marry her partner after the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“There are plans to make my relationship permanent (with marriage), but I’m still playing, I’m not at home most of the time. I’m either on camps or traveling to compete. So I told her Has told (my partner). That our relationship will continue and after the 2024 Olympics, we will see what we want to do in life. She is just 22 years old, and I am 26. So I will go for the next 2-3 years. I hope to play well for a year and see again.” Dutee said.
Will the couple settle abroad as the fight to legalize same-sex marriage is still on in the Indian courts?
“There are no such plans as of now… that’s all he will think about after the Paris Olympics. It’s also up to my partner what she thinks about it two years from now.”
As far as the possibility of marrying her gay partner is concerned, Dutee said: “When I checked with my lawyers, they said you cannot do a court marriage (register it under the law), but you Can get married like this. Usually happens in our villages and temples. You will not get marriage certificate from court. That matter is pending. But if both the families are fine and support, then you can get married. ” Dutee added while talking TimesofIndia.com.
Preparation for Commonwealth Games 2022
For now, though, Dutee’s focus is firmly on the 4x100m relay in Birmingham.
Others in the CWG relay team include Sarbani Nanda, Hima Das, Dhanalakshmi Sekar, MV Jilana and MS Simi.
Barring injuries, Dutee, Sarbani, Hima and Dhanalakshmi are the four who will be on track for India in Birmingham.
https://t.co/MMKREibAGD
— Dutee Chand (@DuteeChand) 1651066612000
“If you look at our women’s 4x100m relay, we all have almost the same timings,” Dutee said.
“In the recent inter-state competition, Hima Das clocked 11.43 seconds (in 100m final), Sarbani Nanda 11.53, I took 11.40s in heats and semi-finals. Dhanalakshmi scored 11.26 in Turkey last February-March . We hope to finish. With 42.90 or so, that should give us a chance to be on the podium.” Dutee said.
But who runs who will be decided closer to the event’s scheduled date, largely based on current form and the season’s best.
Answering the question, Dutee said, “It’s all about your season, what is your timing currently and the experience of competing together.”
“The coach decides based on that. It will be decided around 10 days before the event. Right now (in training), I am starting the relay, Hima Das in the second leg, Dhanalakshmi in the third leg and the final stretch at Sarbani Nanda ”
On a personal note, Dutee said: “From a fitness point of view, I am much fitter than before. I have clocked 11.38, 11.40, 11.44 times recently and have participated in a total of 15 races so far this year. ”
Dutee claims, the support of the state government is decreasing
One of the reasons that disappointed Dutee during the talks was the weak support from the Odisha government, as she claims.
During a conversation with timesofindia.com, Dutee said, “Earlier I was getting a lot of financial assistance, but at present they (Odisha government) are not supporting me that much financially.”
(Dutee Chand taking a selfie with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik – Twitter photo)
“As per the Odisha government policy launched in 2016, any international athlete (from the state) who represents the country in a major competition gets financial assistance. But now many people who apply don’t get it.
“I even once asked ‘You have made that policy to support us, then why is it not being done?’ “The number of (young) athletes has increased now. If we give to all, we will have to give a lot of money. The (Odisha) government doesn’t have that much. We have developed all this infrastructure, so that,” he said. Anyone who wants to use it can do that.”
Dutee claims that she had requested for a training fund of Rs 20 lakh, but it was turned down.
He said, ‘I had asked for Rs 20 lakh, not much.
Doping menace – cash prize entices youth
Dutee ended the conversation with a word of caution on the dangers of doping in sports, especially athletics.
She suggested that sometimes allocated cash prizes and money become an attraction for young athletes, who then try to enhance their performance through drugs.
“With private sponsors coming in and athletes getting cash and financial support from the government, young athletes are increasingly turning to (performance-enhancing) drugs in an effort to improve,” she said.
“Kids don’t know much about these things, but some people around them on the team tell them, ‘If you win a medal, you’ll get money from here and there, after that you can leave the sport,’ it doesn’t. Will be the case’.
Dutee said, “Doping is more prevalent in India domestically than in international tournaments… NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency) has done a lot to address the doping issue. Still, some get caught, While others don’t,” Dutee said. Told TimesofIndia.com.