Boxers who failed gender tests spark controversy and dominate women’s boxing

Women’s boxing faced controversy at the Paris Olympics after two athletes – Algeria’s Imani Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting – failed to pass gender qualification. The two athletes, who have long competed as “women”, were disqualified from the 2023 Women’s World Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA) for not meeting the “eligibility rules”.

The International Boxing Association (IBA), which no longer governs Olympic boxing, claims that Khalif and Lin have “XY chromosomes,” which are typically associated with males, although conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome can cause similar results. The IBA does not conduct testosterone tests, but uses confidential tests to determine eligibility.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which now oversees Olympic boxing, defended Khalif and Lin Dan’s right to compete and questioned the validity and fairness of the disqualification process. An IOC spokesman said: “The current attack on these athletes is based on arbitrary decisions.”

The International Olympic Committee confirmed in a statement that all athletes participating in the boxing competition “complied with the eligibility and entry regulations of the competition, as well as all applicable medical regulations.” The International Olympic Committee said this year’s rules are based on the Tokyo boxing rules.

Khleef, who defeated Italy’s Angela Carini, who retired 46 seconds into the match, and Lin Dan, who defeated Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova by unanimous decision, both advanced to the quarterfinals. Italy’s Angela Carini retired 46 seconds into the match. “It’s terrible,” she said after the match. “It’s not fair, not fair, not fair.”

Khelif, 25, of Algeria, won the African and Mediterranean Championships in 2022 and reached the final of the IBA Women’s World Championships in the same year, while Lin, 28, of Taiwan, is a two-time world champion, winning bantamweight gold in 2018 and featherweight gold in 2022.