Aprilia Manganang of Indonesia (R) in action against the Philippines. Photo: AFP
Southeast Asian (SEA) Games organisers turned down a request to gender-test an Indonesian women’s volleyball player on Wednesday as she faced down boos on the court and defiantly said she was ready to undergo scrutiny.
Organising committee SINGSOC said the Philippines’ plea over Aprilia Manganang, 23, had been rejected after a review of medical documents.
“The Southeast Asian Games Federation medical committee (has) reviewed the documents submitted by the Indonesian volleyball team and… the appeal has since been rejected,” a statement said.
The Philippines risked opening a long and complex process with its request on the eve of the volleyball tournament at the SEA Games in Singapore.
Manganang has previously faced questions over her gender and despite booing from Filipino fans, she appeared unfazed as Indonesia beat the Philippines 25-22, 25-20, 25-14 in their Pool B opener.
Afterwards she said she had undergone gender examinations “a lot of times”, both in her former career as a sprinter and in volleyball, and wasn’t afraid of being tested again.
“I am ready (for a gender test). I am also not in the wrong — whatever I have is given from above,” Manganang said in Bahasa.
“If I am the one who is in the wrong then I will withdraw, but this is not the case and I am not afraid.”
-AFP
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