The International Olympic Committee has defended its decision to allow two boxers who failed a gender eligibility test to compete at Paris 2024.
Algeria’s Imane Khelif was disqualified hours before her gold-medal bout at the women’s World Championships in New Delhi last year after she failed to meet the International Boxing Association’s (IBA) eligibility criteria, which prevent athletes with male XY chromosomes competing in women’s events. Taiwan’s double world champion Lin Yu-ting lost her bronze medal at the same competition, after she too failed to meet the criteria.
But the IBA was stripped of its recognition by the IOC last year over governance and finance issues, with the Olympic body running the boxing competition in Paris itself, and it allowed both women to participate.
Khelif landed a heavy punch on her opponent, Italy’s Angela Carini, in their bout on Thursday, forcing Carini to quit after only 46 seconds. After Khelif’s hand was raised to signal her victory, Carini dropped to her knees in tears.
Carini could also be heard telling her coach, “It’s not right, it’s not right!” before promptly leaving the arena. Carini suffered a suspected broken nose, and the 25-year-old told reporters that she had never been punched so hard in her career.
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