Indian athlete Pinki Pramanik arrested over alleged rape amid accusations she is a man

Published on 15/06/2012 13:22

A GOLD medal winning relay runner has been arrested on rape claims and accusations she is actually “male”.

Pinki Pramanik was arrested on Thursday following the complaint lodged by a woman who said she was the live-in partner of the athlete, police in West Bengal said.

“In her complaint, the woman levelled rape charges against Pramanik. She said they have been living together for quite a while,” a spokesman said.

Pramanik won a gold medal in the women’s 4x400m relay at the 2006 Asian Games.

Police have obtained a court order for a medical test to prove Pramanik’s gender, police said, even though the former athlete is opposing it.

“I have undergone numerous tests in my career as an athlete. Why should I agree to more ridiculous tests?” she was quoted as saying by Times of India newspaper.

Another 2006 Asian Games medallist, Santhi Soundarajan, was stripped of the women’s 800 metres silver medal after failing a gender test.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is shocked at the possibility of a second such embarrassment.

“It’s a tricky situation now and we are waiting for an official report on her medical test,” AFI secretary C.K. Valson said.

“We can’t take any decision unless we have the report with us.”