The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has defended its decision to allow two female boxers to compete at the Paris Olympics, despite a gender row. The decision has sparked controversy, with some arguing that the boxers’ participation is unfair to other female athletes. However, the IOC insists that the two boxers, Algerian Imane Khelif and Taiwanese Lin Yu-ting, were unfairly disqualified at the 2023 World Championships due to an arbitrary decision by the International Boxing Association (IBA).
Khelif, who won her round of 16 welterweight bout in a lightning-fast 46 seconds, and Lin Yu-ting, a double world champion, were both cleared to compete in the Olympics despite being disqualified at the World Championships. The IBA’s disqualification stemmed from eligibility rules that prevent athletes with male XY chromosomes from competing in women’s events.
The IOC, however, stripped the IBA of its recognition last year due to governance and finance issues. As a result, the Olympic body is running the boxing competition in Paris. The IOC maintains that the IBA’s decision to disqualify the boxers was arbitrary and the main cause for the current furore, which has seen public figures like British author J. K. Rowling and billionaire Elon Musk voicing their opposition to the athletes’ participation in the Games.
The IOC points out that the athletes were disqualified without due process, a decision initially taken solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO. The IOC emphasizes that the current aggression against the two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure, especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years.
The IOC also states that the rules of eligibility are based on those of the Tokyo Games in 2021 and cannot be changed during a competition. The IOC expresses sadness at the abuse the two athletes are currently receiving and reiterates that every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination.
In response to the controversy, the IBA condemned the inconsistencies in eligibility at the Paris Games. The IBA argues that both Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, post testing, did not meet the required eligibility criteria to compete within the female category. The IBA maintains that the decision to disqualify the boxers was justified due to the urgent need to ensure the safety of all athletes.
