IOC defends decision to allow controversial female boxers in Paris Olympics

IOC defends decision to allow controversial female boxers in Paris Olympics

3 News

Thu 01st Aug, 2024 22:36

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) defended its decision on Thursday to allow two female boxers to compete in the Paris Olympics amid a heated gender debate.

The IOC claimed the athletes faced unfair “aggression” due to what it called an arbitrary decision from the International Boxing Association (IBA).

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who won her round of 16 welterweight bout against Italian Angela Carini in just 46 seconds, and Taiwan’s double world champion Lin Yu-ting, who is set to compete on Friday, have both been cleared for the Olympics.

Both Khelif and Lin were disqualified from the 2023 World Championships for not meeting the IBA’s eligibility rules, which prohibit athletes with male XY chromosomes from competing in women’s events.

Isn’t it interesting how at the 2020 Olympics, when Imane Khelif lost to Kellie Harrington in the quarterfinals, literally no one accused her of being a man?

It’s almost as if brain dead right wing morons will hope on any conspiracy theory train pic.twitter.com/jH290S4L4K

— Algeria FC (@Algeria_FC) August 1, 2024

However, after stripping the IBA of its recognition last year due to issues with governance and finances, the IOC has taken over the boxing competition for Paris.

The IOC criticised the IBA’s disqualification of the boxers as “arbitrary,” sparking controversy.

“These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA,” the IOC said. “Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process. According to the IBA minutes available on their website, this decision was initially made solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO.”

Different sports have varying rules on testosterone levels for women’s competition, with some banning all who have gone through male puberty. Differences in Sexual Development (DSD) encompass rare conditions involving genes, hormones, and reproductive organs, with some individuals having XY chromosomes and male-range testosterone levels despite being raised as female.

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