The International Boxing Association (IBA) has issued a scathing statement addressed to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding the controversial eligibility guidelines for transgender athletes competing in the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.
The IBA’s statement comes in the wake of a gruesome boxing match that has sparked fierce debate about fairness and safety in women’s sports.
In a match that lasted only 46 seconds, Italian boxer Angela Carini faced Algerian athlete Imane Khelif.
Carini was quickly overwhelmed, landing two powerful punches before dropping his helmet and calling the situation “unfair.” The scene escalated when Carini fell to the ground in tears, refusing to shake Khelif’s hand.
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In response to the controversy, the International Boxing Association (IBA) issued a statement regarding recent media reports about athletes Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif, particularly regarding their participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting—both of whom are not ‘transgender’—are competing at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and have won medals at previous world boxing tournaments. However, last year, the International Boxing Association, the sport’s governing body, disqualified Khelif and Lin during the tournament, according to Slate.
The IBA’s criticism of extending the IOC’s allowances to athletes with potential competitive advantages is not only a matter of fairness but also of athlete safety. The association called on stakeholders and interested parties to seek immediate clarification from the IOC on the policy.
Read the full statement below:
As said, the International Boxing Association (IBA) felt appropriate at this public moment, to address the recent media statements about the athletes Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif, especially regarding their participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
We want it make the points below:
On March 24, 2023, the IBA disqualified athletes Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif from the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championship New Delhi 2023. This disqualification is the result of their failure to meet the eligibility criteria to participate in the women’s competition, as defined and established. out in the IBA Regulations. This decision, made after careful review, is extremely important and necessary to uphold the level of fairness and overall integrity of the competition.
It is important to note that the athletes are not tested for testosterone but are subject to a separate and recognized test, the specifics of which remain confidential. This test conclusively showed that both athletes did not meet the required qualification criteria and were found to have a competitive advantage over the other female competitors.
The decision was made by the IBA on March 24, 2023, then ratified by the IBA Board of Directors on March 25, 2023. The official record of this decision can be accessed on the IBA website here Minutes of the IBA Board of Directors Meeting.
The disqualification is based on two tests performed on both athletes as follows:
- Tests are conducted during the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Istanbul 2022.
- The test was conducted during the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi 2023.
For clarification
- Lin Yu-ting did not appeal the IBA decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), so the decision is valid.
- Imane Khelif initially appealed the decision to CAS but withdrew the appeal during the proceedings, also making the IBA’s decision valid.
Our committee has reviewed and approved the decisions made during the World Championship. While the IBA remains committed to ensuring competitive fairness in all our events, we express concern about the inconsistent application of eligibility criteria by other sports organizations, including those overseeing the Olympic Games. The different IOC regulations on the matter, in which the IBA is not involved, raise serious questions about competitive fairness and athlete safety.
To clarify whether the IOC allows athletes with competitive advantages to compete in the event, we invite interested parties to seek a direct answer from the IOC.
