The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has emphasized the importance of allowing women to participate in women’s events at the Olympics, amidst controversy surrounding Algerian boxer Imane Khalif.
Khalif, who failed gender eligibility and testosterone tests, has advanced to the gold medal round in the women’s 66 kg boxing at the Paris Olympics. IOC President Thomas Bach stated that women should be permitted to compete in women’s events, citing the unreliability of sex tests and human rights concerns.
“We had so-called sex tests until 1999, but science told us they were not reliable anymore,” Bach said. “These tests can be against human rights because they are too intrusive.”
Khalif’s controversial win over Angela Carini in the opening round of the women’s 66 kg boxing has sparked criticism from prominent figures such as J.K. Rowling and Elon Musk, who questioned her gender. However, the IOC has defended Khalif’s right to compete, along with another boxer, Lin Yu-ting, who also faced scrutiny for failing an eligibility requirement.
The IOC emphasized that all athletes participating in the boxing tournament comply with eligibility and medical regulations. It also noted that the athletes in question had been subjected to an arbitrary decision by the International Boxing Association (IBA).
“These two athletes have been competing in international boxing competitions for many years in the women’s category, including the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020,” the IOC said. “They were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA.”
The IOC expressed its commitment to protecting the human rights of all athletes participating in the Olympic Games and condemned the abuse that Khalif and Lin Yu-ting have received.
