The long-standing gender debate surrounding athlete Jannat Begum has resurfaced at the National Athletics Championship. Questions have been raised by the Bangladesh Navy over her participation in the women’s events of the Summer Athletics competition.

According to the Navy’s claim, Jannat Begum does not possess clear female characteristics. Therefore, until the matter is confirmed, they argued that she should not be allowed to compete in the women’s category.

However, the Bangladesh Athletics Federation (BAF) has downplayed the complaint for now and stated that a medical examination will determine the final decision. BAF General Secretary Md. Shah Alam said, “We will send her to specialist doctors. Once the medical board’s report is available, we will announce the decision.”

Meanwhile, despite the ongoing controversy, Jannat Begum has been allowed to participate in the competition on an “on-protest” basis. This means she can still compete for the time being, although her participation remains under objection until a final verdict is reached.

This is not the first time Jannat Begum’s gender has come under question. In 2019, her gold medal in javelin throw was revoked following a gender dispute. Again, in 2022, after she broke Akherun Nesa’s 25-year-old record, fresh allegations surfaced.

Jannat Begum, however, has consistently asserted that she is a woman. She explained that the controversy stems only from hormonal issues. She further pointed out that her school, college, and national ID records officially identify her as female.

Therefore, her future in this year’s championship now depends on the results of the medical examination.