The International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued a statement following a biological male boxing against a woman, appearing to defend the event.
“Every person has the right to practise sport without discrimination,” the IOC said. “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 set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU). As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport.”
The statement added that the IOC has seen “misleading information about two female athletes competing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.”
“The two athletes have been competing in international boxing competitions for many years in the women’s category, including the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, International Boxing Association (IBA) World Championships and IBA-sanctioned tournaments,” the IOC noted.
According to the IOC, the two biological male athletes were “victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA.” The statement continued that “towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process.”
“The IOC is committed to protecting the human rights of all athletes participating in the Olympic Games as per the Olympic Charter, the IOC Code of Ethics and the IOC Strategic Framework on Human Rights,” it added. “The IOC is saddened by the abuse that the two athletes are currently receiving.”
The IBA released its own statement on the male boxers, saying the individuals “did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognized test, whereby the specifics remain confidential. This test conclusively indicated that both athletes did not meet the required necessary eligibility criteria and were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors.” The test referenced in the statement pertains to the athletes’ 2023 disqualification.
“For clarification on why the IOC permits athletes with competitive advantages to compete in their events, we urge interested parties to seek answers directly from the IOC,” the IBA added.
Italian boxer Angela Carini faced Algerian opponent Imane Khelif, resulting in Carini ending the fight just 46 seconds in. The event left Carini physically and emotionally distraught.
