The International Olympic Committee issued a statement saying it was 'saddened by the trauma' suffered by Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting since they were registered for the Paris Games.
Khelif made headlines on Thursday when her Italian opponent Angela Carini quit after 46 seconds of their fight after scoring several goals. After a while, he said he felt severe pain in his nose and struggled to breathe.
The inclusion of Khelif and Taiwan's Yu-ting has come under scrutiny after reports that both failed an unspecified gender eligibility test because they have male chromosomes.
Both were disqualified from last year's novice tournament, the IBA tournament, after failing to meet the gender eligibility criteria. However the IOC, which stripped the IBA of its Olympic status last year, called the decision 'absurd and unreasonable' and cleared both boxers to compete in Paris.
A spokesman said: “These athletes have competed against each other many times before for many years, they didn't just come all of a sudden – they competed in Tokyo.”
And on Thursday evening, following the backlash from Khelif's victory, the IOC issued a lengthy statement in an attempt to address 'misleading information' about the situation.
It read: “We have seen misleading reports about two female athletes competing in the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. These athletes have been competing in women's boxing competitions for many years, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, International Boxing. Association (IBA) World Championships and IBA sanctioned tournaments.
“These two athletes were victims of the IBA's sudden and illegal decision. Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly kicked out without due process. According to the IBA minutes available on their website, this decision was initially taken by the IBA General Secretary and CEO only. The IBA Board subsequently approved it and only asked that the procedure to be followed in similar cases in the future be established and reflected in the IBA Regulations. The minutes also state that the IBA should “establish a clear gender screening process”.
“The brutality of these two athletes depends entirely on this decision which was without reason, which was taken without due process – especially considering that these athletes have been competing in high-level competition for many years. Such an approach is contrary to good governance.
“Eligibility rules should not be changed during ongoing competition, and any rule change should follow proper procedures and should be based on scientific evidence.
“The IOC is committed to protecting the human rights of all athletes participating in the Olympic Games as stated in the Olympic Charter, the IOC Code of Ethics and the IOC Strategic Framework on Human Rights. The IOC is deeply saddened by the abuse two athletes are currently experiencing.
“The IBA's recognition was withdrawn by the IOC in 2023 following its suspension in 2019. The revocation of the honor was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). See the IOC's statement following the decision.
“The IOC has made it clear that it needs the National Boxing Federations to reach an agreement on a new International Federation so that boxing can be included in the sports program of the Olympic Games LA28.”
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