Who Is Sameeha Barwin? Disabled Athlete Challenges Sports Council's Sexist Decision

Who is Sameeha Barwin? The Madras High Court issued an interim order on August 14 to the All India Sports Council of the Deaf (AISCD) to let the 18-year-old athlete participate in the World Deaf Athletics Championship which begins on August 23. Previously, she was left out of the championships despite her impressive track record.

After the AISCD refused Barwin to participate in the Championship, she moved to the Madras High Court, challenging the council's decision and accused them of gender discrimination. Reportedly, Barwin had covered an impressive distance of 5.5 metres which was way over the qualification mark of 4.25 metres in last month’s national selection trials held in New Delhi.

Barwin's plea read that the selection trial was conducted on the basis of the performance, a merit list of the probable was compiled. The SAI (Sports Authority of India) and as per the merit list ranking, Ms Sameera Barwin was standing in 8th place.

Barwin highlighted that 10 out of 12 competing athletes were men. Reportedly, the sports council had said that they didn’t want to send a lone female athlete to the championship.

Who Is Sameeha Barwin?

Barwin is a long jump and 100-metre track athlete who is diagnosed with a 90 per cent hearing impairment. She holds the credit of receiving 11 gold medals, 1 silver and 1 bronze in various state and national events in her career just at the age of 18 years.

The young athlete recently garnered national attention after the sports council refused to send her off to the Poland competitions. According to the family of the girl, SAI told them that they can't send a female athlete alone with five male athletes to Poland.

Justice R Mahadevan ruled the case in Barwin's support. She now stands as the only female sports person among the Indian athletes who were selected during the national trials.

Reportedly, Barwin has been competing since the age of 12 and won multiple championships at events held across the country, a few of them being Jharkhand and Calicut among others.

According to a report, Barwin's mother said that she was initially was against her daughter pursuing sports. However, she later agreed as Barwin was evidently good. Barwin's mother Salamath said, "My daughter is an excellent athlete. And the federation has wronged Sameeha by dropping her for such silly reasons."

"More than anything, I am now fighting for her dignity," she added.

The report added that Barwin's family runs a small coffee shop at Kadaiyaalumoodu, Kanyakumari, and that they are facing a huge financial crisis at the moment.