Two female athletes in Bangladesh have been ruled male under a medical assessment and stripped of their athletics medals.
Jannat Begum and Kabita Roy have also been banned permanently from competing in women’s events. The Bangladesh Athletics Federation announced the decision after reviewing a year-long medical assessment.
Jannat, 28, represents the Bangladesh Army. Kabita, 19, competes for the Bangladesh Navy. Both athletes faced questions over their sex eligibility from their respective organisations.
The federation referred the cases to Bangladesh Medical University for further examination. A five-member medical board began its work in September 2025.
The board completed the examinations on 11 May 2026. It then sent its final report to the federation on 16 May.
According to the federation, the medical report identified 46,XY Differences of Sex Development, or DSD, in both athletes. It also recorded penoscrotal hypospadias and gonads located in the inguinal canals.
The report found testosterone levels well above the limit used for women’s competition under World Athletics rules.
Jannat recorded 19.66 nmol/L. Kabita’s level was 16.50 nmol/L. The federation said the relevant limit is 2.5 nmol/L, with athletes required to remain below that level for 24 months.
As a result, the federation ruled that neither athlete could continue competing in the women’s category.
Jannat has lost eight gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals. The decision also removes two national records she set in the javelin and discus.
Kabita has been stripped of one gold, one silver and two bronze medals. Those results came in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m events.
The federation said the medals will now go to the athletes who finished behind them, in line with competition rules.
The case is the first of its kind in Bangladesh athletics. It also comes as international sport continues to debate eligibility rules for women’s competition.
The federation said it acted on the medical findings and the rules governing women’s athletics. Neither athlete’s response to the decision was included in the federation’s announcement.
