‘Female’ athlete arrested over rape accusation

A GOLD medal winning Indian 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 has said.

Another 2006 Asian Games medallist, Santhi Soundarajan, was stripped of the women’s 800m 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.