The IOC has faced scrutiny over the inclusion of two boxers in the 2024 Women’s boxing, both of whom have previously been disqualified from other boxing events due to sex eligibility concerns.
One of the athletes at the center of this controversy is Imane Khelif.
Who is Imane Khelif?
Imane Khelif is a 25-year-old boxer from Algeria, competing in the 2024 Olympics.
Earlier this week, an online debate arose about Olympic competitors Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan. Both Khelif and Yu-ting had been barred from competing in the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships for failing eligibility requirements.
Why is Khelif a controversial figure?
In her first match of the tournament, Khelif fought against Italian competitor Angela Carini, who ended the fight after just 46 seconds and claimed that her nose might have been broken. Khelif was disqualified from the women’s World Championships in New Delhi for failing a gender eligibility test. Lin Yu-ting was also disqualified from the same tournament for similar reasons.
What has Angela Carini said about Imane Khelif?
Following the controversy, Angela Carini expressed her willingness to embrace Khelif, saying, “All this controversy makes me sad. I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision.” She clarified that she did not intend to refuse to shake Khelif’s hand after the match and apologized for her initial reaction, attributing it to her disappointment over her own Olympic hopes.
Is Imane Khelif trans?
Imane Khelif was assigned female at birth and is listed as female on her passport. Khelif has not commented on whether she is cisgender or transgender. However, she was found eligible to compete in the Olympics, where trans women are not permitted to compete. Unconfirmed reports suggest that Khelif was discovered to have XY chromosomes during sex testing and has higher than average testosterone levels, which can occur in both cisgender and intersex women due to conditions like PCOS.
Is Imane Khelif intersex?
Various online sources have claimed that Khelif is intersex, but neither she nor Lin Yu-ting identify as such. Some newspapers have reported that Khelif is “a biological woman with differences in sex development condition,” but this has not been confirmed by Khelif or her team.
What have the IOC said about this case?
The IOC stated at the beginning of the tournament: “All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations in accordance with rules 1.4 and 3.1 of the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit.“
Will Imane Khelif continue to compete?
There is no indication that Imane Khelif will be removed from the games, and she has not suggested that she plans to withdraw.
