Olympic approval of two boxers who failed gender and testosterone eligibility tests is “‘incredibly dangerous”, according to one leading woman fighter.
Australia’s boxing captain Caitlin Parker voiced her fears as one of her team-mates is fighting in the same 66kg weight category as Imane Khelif.
Mark Adams, the IOC’s chief spokesman, expressed concerns over a “witchhunt” against Khelif and Lin Yu-ting after complaints were raised this week.
Algeria’s Khelif, who competes on Thursday, was disqualified by the International Boxing Association last year over high testosterone levels before a gold medal bout at the women’s world championships.
Taiwan’s double world champion featherweight Lin, scheduled to fight on behalf of Chinese Taipei this Friday, also lost a bronze medal in New Delhi over a “biochemical test for gender eligibility”.
The official Paris 2024 notes on both athletes confirm both had previously been disqualified at other major events. After fairness for sport campaigners attacked their inclusion in Paris, Parker became the first athlete to speak out.
“I don’t agree with them being allowed to compete in sport, especially combat sports,” Parker said, having just reached the quarter-finals in the 75kg division with a unanimous points victory over Mexico’s Vanessa Ortiz.
“It can be incredibly dangerous. I don’t agree with it. It’s not like I haven’t sparred men before. But you know it can be dangerous for combat sports and it should be seriously looked into.”
The Italian government and the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) expressed concern about the fact Italy’s Angela Carini is set to face Khelif.
Without specifically mentioning Khelif, CONI said that it has “taken action with the International Olympic Committee to ensure that the rights of all athletes comply with the Olympic Charter and health regulations”.
Italy’s Family and Equal Opportunities Minister Eugenia Roccella went further.
“It is of great concern to learn that two transgender people, men who identify as women, were admitted to women’s boxing competitions at the Olympic Games in Paris after having been excluded from recent competitions,” Roccella said.
“It is surprising that there are no certain, strict, uniform criteria at the international level, and that there can be a suspicion, and far more than a suspicion, of an unfair and potentially dangerous contest for one of the contenders at the Olympics, an event that symbolises sporting fairness”.
Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi echoed those comments. “I find it difficult to understand that there is no alignment in the parameters of minimum hormonal values at an international level, which includes the European and world championships and the Olympics,” Abodi said.
“In the event that represents the highest values of sport, the safety of female and male athletes must be guaranteed, as well as respect for fair competition. That is not how it will be tomorrow for Angela Carini.”
The IOC has repeatedly pointed out that the two boxers are women on their passports and their inclusion has been approved.
“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 (PBU) ‘Event Regulations of the Olympic Boxing Qualifying Tournaments and the boxing competition at the Olympic Games Paris 2024’ (Paris 2024 Event Regulations) and with the ‘Medical Rules for the Olympic Boxing Qualifying Tournaments and the boxing competition at the Olympic Games Paris 2024’,” a statement said in response to inquiries by Telegraph Sport and other outlets.
Last year, after Khelif was ruled out of facing Yang Liu in the 66kg division world championship final, the IBA declined to explain exactly why she was excluded over a “failure to meet the IBA eligibility criteria”.
“The IBA upholds its rules and regulations as well as its athletes’ personal and medical privacy, the eligibility criteria breach therefore cannot be shared by the IBA,” a statement said, before the Algerian Olympic Committee said she was disqualified for “medical reasons”.
“There are some countries that did not want Algeria to win a gold medal,” Khelif then told Algerian Ennahar TV. “This is a conspiracy and a big conspiracy, and we will not be silent about it.”
The inclusion of DSD as well as trans athletes at previous Olympics has been one of the most contentious issues the IOC has dealt with in the modern era. In boxing, the rules are particularly controversial. The IOC has effectively divorced itself from the IBA so decisions largely rest with the national Olympic committees and federations.
Studies show higher testosterone carries a huge safety risk for women in any combat sport.
Men, the science shows, punch 2.6 times harder than women; the biggest documented performance advantage in any sport.
“Yes, biologically … genetically they are going to have more advantages and in combat sports it can be dangerous,” said Parker. “I really hope the organisations get their act together so that boxing can continue to be at the Olympics.
“It’s the oldest Olympic sport. Women’s boxing was only introduced in 2012 and I want to see it for the next 100, 200 years to come.”
Australian Marissa Williamson features in the women’s 66kg division, but no Team GB athlete is in the same category as the two boxers in the spotlight.
Australian boxing coach Santiago Nieva said, in contrast with Parker, that there would be no complaints if Williamson met the Algerian in the ring.
“She was disqualified, but I have not seen her fail any gender test,” he said. “The IOC said they are matching the criteria from the IOC so that’s the only thing you can go by.”
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