Athletics federation bans Jannat, Kabita from women's events; strips medals

The Bangladesh Athletics Federation has permanently banned athletes Jannat Begum and Kabita Roy from competing in the women's category and cancelled medals and national records they had won, following medical examinations that the federation said found both athletes had 46,XY Differences of Sex Development (DSD).

The decisions were taken unanimously at the federation's second Executive Committee meeting on Saturday. General secretary Ali Imam Tapon told The Daily Star that 25 of the 29 executive committee members were present at the meeting.

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The imminent suspension and stripping of medals was reported by The Daily Star on August 10.

In a press release, the federation said the decision followed complaints from the Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Navy, where Jannat and Kabita are registered athletes respectively, regarding their sex. Bangladesh Medical University subsequently formed a five-member expert medical board on September 10, 2025. The examinations were completed on May 11 this year, with the board submitting its final report on May 16.

According to the federation, the report found both athletes had 46,XY DSD, along with penoscrotal hypospadias and gonads located in the inguinal canals.

The federation also cited their testosterone levels. Jannat, 28, recorded 19.66 nmol/L, while Kabita, 19, recorded 16.50 nmol/L, compared with the 2.5 nmol/L limit under World Athletics' DSD regulations.

Under the regulations, athletes must maintain testosterone below 2.5 nmol/L for 24 months to compete in the women's category. The federation said neither athlete met the requirement.

As a result, Jannat has been stripped of eight gold, one silver and two bronze medals, including two national records in the javelin and discus throws. Kabita has had one gold, one silver and two bronze medals from the 100m, 200m and 4x100m events cancelled.

The federation said the medals would be redistributed to athletes who finished in the next positions through a process it described as a "bodily shift".

Tapon said the two athletes would no longer be eligible to compete as female athletes.

When asked, Bangladesh Olympic Association secretary general Jubair Rahman Rana said the athletes could challenge the federation's decision.