Paris 2024 Olympics: IOC Faces Major Backlash For Allowing 'Biological Males' In Women's Boxing

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is facing intense backlash for allowing two biological males, Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, to compete in the women's boxing events at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Both athletes had previously failed "gender eligibility tests" conducted by the International Boxing Association (IBA), which disqualified them from the 2023 World Championships, over its rules that prevent athletes with XY chromosomes from competing in women's events.

The IBA claims that Khelif and Lin failed a test that showed they had "competitive advantages over other female competitors." However, the IBA has not specified what type of test was conducted.

The IOC, on the other hand, has defended its decision to allow the boxers to compete, stating that all athletes participating in the Olympic Games comply with the competition's eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations.

The controversy arose after Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew from her Olympic match against Algeria's Imane Khelif just 46 seconds into the bout.

The women’s 66 kilogram bout in Paris 2024 Olympics was abruptly stopped after Khelif, a biological male, delivered the first significant punch against her.

Carini knelt down in the ring, overwhelmed with tears, and refused to shake Khelif's hand.

Distressed, Carini was heard telling her coach, "It's not right, it's not right!" before exiting the arena, reports said.

According to reports from The Telegraph and BBC, the 25-year-old appeared to have suffered a suspected broken nose and later told reporters she had never felt such a powerful punch in her career.

The controversy has sparked a heated debate about gender eligibility in sports, with many arguing that the IOC's decision is an assault on the integrity of women's sports.

Critics argue that allowing biological males to compete against biological females is unfair and puts female athletes at a disadvantage.

However, the controversy has also revived the discussion over whether athletes with Differences of Sexual Development (DSD) should compete in women's competition.

Differences of Sexual Development are a group of rare conditions involving genes, hormones and reproductive organs.

Some people with DSDs are raised as female but have XY sex chromosomes, blood testosterone levels in the male range and the ability to use testosterone circulating within their bodies.

The latest IOC guidelines issued in 2021 state that inclusion should be the default in such cases and that athletes should only be excluded from women's competition if there are clear fairness or safety issues.

The IOC's decision has drawn criticism from some female athletes too, who have expressed concerns about the safety of competing against biological males.

"It is very hard to qualify for the Olympics," two-time Team USA Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields said. 

"You have to go through so many different international tournaments, country tournaments to even make it to the Olympics. So, for me, I can understand her devastation. But it shouldn't be ruined due to a man. And I think that the Olympics definitely dropped the ball," she added.

"I don't have anything against transgender women or transgender men. All I'm saying is men should fight against men, women should fight against women and transgenders should fight against transgenders," Shields added.

The controversy has also thrown light on the ongoing battle between the IBA and the IOC.

The IBA, which has been banned from the past two Olympics due to alleged governance and financial transparency issues, has been vocal in its criticism of the IOC's decision.

"While IBA remains committed to ensuring competitive fairness in all of our events, we express concern over the inconsistent application of eligibility criteria by other sporting organizations, including those overseeing the Olympic Games. The IOC’s differing regulations on these matters, in which IBA is not involved, raise serious questions about both competitive fairness and athletes’ safety," the global boxing body said in a statement.

The IOC, however, has defended its decision, stating that it is committed to "human rights" of all athletes.

"The IOC is saddened by the abuse that the two athletes are currently receiving," the Olympics body said in a statement.

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