The Paris Olympics have been plunged into controversy as the International Boxing Association (IBA) declared at a chaotic press conference that two boxers, Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, “are male” based on recent medical and laboratory tests. The announcement has intensified an already contentious atmosphere, given the ongoing disputes between the IBA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The IBA’s press conference in Paris, led by officials including Kremlin-linked Russian oligarch and IBA president Umar Kremlev via remote video call, was meant to clarify the gender eligibility tests Khelif and Lin underwent last year. However, the event was marked by contradictory statements and confusion, leaving more questions than answers. The IBA officials cited medical confidentiality as a constraint in fully disclosing the details of the tests.
Ioannis Filippatos, former chairman of the IBA’s medical committee, provided some clarity when he revealed that “abnormalities” were detected in the boxers’ blood tests in 2022. These initial findings were confirmed with additional tests in 2023, leading to the disqualification of both athletes from the IBA’s 2023 world championships.
“The medical result, blood result, looks—and the laboratory says—that these boxers are male,” Filippatos stated. He further explained that the blood exams showed a male karyotype, which refers to an individual’s complete set of chromosomes. This has become the crux of the IBA’s decision to disqualify Khelif and Lin, a decision that has sparked outrage and rebuttal from various quarters.
The Algerian Olympic and Sports Committee swiftly responded, rejecting the IBA’s claims. They emphasized that Algeria is not a member of the IBA and does not recognize it as a legitimate institution. “Our champion, Imane Khelif, remains untouched and undeterred by the baseless claims of the IBA,” the committee declared.
Khelif, who is now set to fight for a gold medal in the 66kg category after winning her semi-final against Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng, addressed the media for the first time since the controversy erupted. “I don’t care about the criticism. I am here for the competition,” she said defiantly. “God willing, we will be at the final level and I will present my talent.”
Lin Yu-ting, also cleared by the IOC and due to fight for a gold medal in the 57kg category, remains similarly focused, with high-level officials from Taiwan and Algeria staunchly defending both athletes. They emphasized that both Khelif and Lin were born and raised as women, with passports to prove it.
The IOC, which has taken over the boxing events in Paris due to financial and governance issues within the IBA, has accused the IBA of making “an arbitrary decision” in disqualifying the two fighters in 2023. Both athletes previously competed at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 without incident.
As the Paris Olympics continue, the dispute between the IBA and IOC adds a layer of complexity to an already fraught situation, with gender eligibility in sports once again under the global spotlight. The final outcomes of Khelif and Lin’s matches will be closely watched, not just for their athletic prowess, but for the broader implications this controversy holds for the future of international sports.