Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting were disqualified from the 2023 World Championships due to a sex chromosome test that deemed them ineligible, according to the International Boxing Association (IBA) on Monday.
These disqualifications have sparked controversy over gender in sports, especially with the upcoming Paris Olympics. The uproar began when Khelif’s Italian opponent withdrew from their bout less than a minute into the fight after receiving a series of punches.
The boxing events at Paris 2024 will be governed by International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules after the IOC stripped the IBA of its status as the global governing body for boxing.
IBA chief executive Chris Roberts stated that he couldn’t disclose the specific results of the gender eligibility tests but implied that the public could infer the reasons for the disqualifications. “The chromosome tests demonstrated both boxers were ineligible,” Roberts explained. He added that these results were sent to the IOC in June of the previous year, but the IOC had taken no action.
The IOC has criticized the IBA, labeling it a discredited organization and claiming the tests were conducted on arbitrary grounds. IOC President Thomas Bach defended the athletes, stating, “We are talking about women’s boxing. We have two boxers who were born as women, raised as women, have passports as women, and have competed for many years as women. This is a clear definition of a woman.” He emphasized that there had never been any doubt about their gender.
The controversy has ignited social media, with prominent figures like J.K. Rowling and Tesla founder Elon Musk voicing their opposition to the boxers’ participation in the Games.
Khelif’s father defended his daughter, saying she had brought honor to the family and condemned the attacks against her as “immoral.”
