(Paris) The women’s Olympic boxing tournament has been rocked by controversy after two boxers, Algeria’s Imane Khelif (-66 kg) and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting (-57 kg), were admitted despite being excluded from the World Championships for failing a gender-determination test.
Here’s what we know about this controversy over a complex issue that has been seized upon by politicians.
What happened ?
PHOTO ISABEL INFANTES, REUTERS
Angela Carini and Imane Khelif
The boxing match lasted less than 50 seconds because Imane Khelif’s opponent, Italian Angela Carini, gave up after a straight punch that “hurt too much.” The lightning fight sparked controversy over the gender of the victorious boxer.
The IOC, which validated the participation of the 25-year-old Algerian, as well as that of Lin, has been supporting them since Thursday. Imane Khelif was “born a woman, registered as a woman, lives her life as a woman, boxes as a woman,” International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams insisted on Friday. “This is not a transgender case,” he added.
Why the past exclusions?
According to the International Boxing Federation (IBA), the two boxers were ruled out after “eligibility” tests to establish their gender were carried out at the 2022 World Championships in Istanbul and 2023 in New Delhi.
But the IBA did not specify the nature and details of these tests. It refuted the explanation of the IOC which put forward on its website a “high testosterone level” for Khelif. This is a “fact”, assured the IOC spokesman on Friday, even if this mention has disappeared from the website.
“Women can have testosterone levels equal to those of men, while still being women,” the IOC recalled. In fact, this hormone is produced by both men and women, even if the quantity differs. When the levels are higher than the average, it is possible to speak of cases of hyperandrogenism.
The most emblematic case is that of the South African athlete Caster Semenya. The double Olympic champion of the 800 meters is deprived of competition because of a high testosterone level. She refuses to take treatment to lower it as required by the international athletics federation and has since led a long legal battle.
But, in the absence of details from the IBA and the athletes, it is not possible to say in which case these two boxers are located.
As for intersex people, they represent approximately 1.7% of the general population, according to the scientific community.
What do other female boxers say?
Irishwoman Amy Broadhurst, who beat her in 2022, gave her support on the social network X. “I don’t think she did anything to cheat. She was born like that and it’s not something she controls. The fact that she was beaten by nine female boxers says a lot.” Before asking to “stop the harassment” of Khelif.
Angela Carini said she was “saddened” by the controversy and “sorry” for her opponent.
Hungarian Anna Luca Hamori, who will fight Khelif on Saturday, defended her rival’s participation. “If they let her compete it’s because they know she’s a woman,” she told Hungarian news agency MTI. The Hungarian Olympic Committee, however, has asked the IOC for an explanation to “clarify the situation.”
British double Olympic champion Nicola Adams, on the other hand, expressed her disapproval of X: “After years of fighting for women’s boxing to earn its place at the Games […]it was difficult to watch a fighter forced to give up her Olympic dreams.”
What is the impact of the war between CIO and IBA?
The IOC and the IBA have therefore adopted different positions on this issue. Against the backdrop of a deep and long-standing conflict, particularly over repeated refereeing scandals. The IBA, chaired by the Russian Umar Kremlev, lost the organisation of the Olympic tournaments in June 2023.
The IBA’s fall from grace coincides with the emergence of a new player, the very young international federation World Boxing, propelled behind the scenes by several Western federations.
Asked about boxing’s presence at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said Friday: “We sincerely hope that boxing will be on the programme in 2028.”