The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has reaffirmed its decision to allow boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting to compete in the Paris Olympics, despite their exclusion from the 2023 world championships due to failing unspecified gender eligibility tests. In a detailed statement released late Thursday, the IOC emphasized that “every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination,” and robustly defended the eligibility of Khelif and Yu-ting, told ESPN.
According to the IOC, an athlete’s gender in Olympic boxing is determined by their passport, which indicates female for all participating women. An IOC spokesperson reiterated that Khelif and Yu-ting, who have long competed in international boxing in the women’s category, participated in the Tokyo Olympics without incident. Khelif reached the women’s lightweight quarterfinals, and Yu-ting competed in the women’s featherweight round of 16.
The IOC’s statement followed a heated bout between Khelif and Italy’s Angela Carini at the Paris Olympics, which reignited the controversy. Carini withdrew from the round of 16 match after just 46 seconds, citing the unprecedented strength of Khelif’s punches, particularly one to her nose that caused severe pain. “I had entered the ring to fight,” Carini explained. “I didn’t give up, but a punch hurt too much and so I said enough. I go out with my head held high.”
In March 2023, the International Boxing Association (IBA) required Khelif and Yu-ting to undergo gender eligibility tests at the IBA World Championships in New Delhi. The IBA disqualified Khelif hours before her gold-medal bout and Yu-ting hours before her bronze-medal bout, without specifying the testing methods but indicating they “failed to meet eligibility rules.” IBA President Umar Kremlev stated that the disqualifications were due to “proven XY chromosomes.”
Following governance issues and judging scandals, the IOC has removed the IBA’s status as the global governing body for boxing. The IOC’s Paris 2024 Boxing unit, with more relaxed rules than the IBA, has chosen to disregard the previous gender eligibility test results for Khelif and Yu-ting.
In its Thursday statement, the IOC described the IBA’s disqualification of Khelif and Yu-ting as “sudden and arbitrary,” contrasting with the IBA’s claim of a “meticulous” decision-making process. The IBA argued that the IOC’s stance compromises competitive fairness and athlete safety.
Before the fight, Italian officials and Carini’s coach, Emmanuel Renzini, questioned the fairness of allowing Khelif to compete, with some urging Carini not to fight. Renzini recalled Carini saying, “She’s too strong,” after deciding to stop the fight early.
Neither Khelif nor her coaches commented post-fight, but Algeria’s Olympic committee condemned the media’s “unethical targeting and maligning” of Khelif, asserting that such attacks are unfair as she prepares for the Olympic pinnacle.
The controversy intensified with activist Riley Gaines labeling the bout “glorified male violence against women” and author JK Rowling criticizing Khelif’s participation. The IOC condemned the “current aggression against these two athletes” and expressed sadness over the abuse they are facing.
In the face of mounting criticism, the IOC maintains that Khelif and Yu-ting should be allowed to compete, underlining its commitment to nondiscrimination in sports.