Skye Nicolson, the Australian women’s featherweight world champion, has come to the defense of the boxers embroiled in the Olympics gender controversy, criticizing those who are ‘jumping on the bandwagon without knowing the full context.’
Earlier this year, Nicolson secured the WBC featherweight title and shared in a video on her Instagram story that she has both fought and sparred against Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting, who are currently the focus of debate during this summer’s Olympic Games.
Despite being disqualified from last year’s world championships due to tests that reportedly indicated they have male ‘XY chromosomes’, both fighters were permitted to compete in the women’s category in Paris.
This decision has triggered significant backlash online and within the media, with numerous notable figures criticizing their eligibility to fight.
Nicolson emphasized that both Khelif and Yu-Ting were assigned female at birth, while condemning the rush to judgment from their detractors.
Skye Nicolson defending boxers in the Olympics gender controversy
Imane Khelif (left) and Lin Yu-Ting (right) cleared to compete in women’s category despite disqualifications based on gender
In her video message, Nicolson stated: ‘I want to clarify a few points: 1. I have fought and sparred both of these girls. They were born female.
‘They were born with XY chromosomes, which are male chromosomes, but they possess female bodies. They display the characteristics of females.
‘They have lived and competed as females their entire lives. They are not naturally born males who have chosen to identify as women to compete against women in the Olympics.’
Khelif, who also participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was disqualified from the 2023 world championships after failing gender eligibility tests, and Yu-Ting was stripped of her bronze medal for a similar reason.
During their disqualification, Umar Kremlev, president of the International Boxing Association (IBA), stated that tests confirmed the athletes had ‘XY chromosomes’.
He further claimed that the tests had identified athletes who were attempting to deceive their competitors by pretending to be women.
Nicolson emphasizes both women were born female
Nicolson has held the WBC featherweight title since April 2023
Nicolson added: ‘During the random tests at the world championships, the IBA found out that these two athletes had XY chromosomes.
‘This was not due to a testosterone test or a physical evaluation, they do not exhibit physical attributes of males.
‘Despite the ambiguity of the situation, the vitriol and the influence of the media, alongside people jumping to conclusions without knowing all the facts, is genuinely appalling.
‘These girls have represented their country for many years as female athletes and they do not warrant this kind of treatment. It’s unfortunate that they find themselves in this predicament while facing such scrutiny.’
To intensify the controversy, Khelif decisively defeated Italy’s Angela Carini in her Olympic opener, forcing her opponent to withdraw after just 46 seconds.
Yu-Ting also triumphed in her opening match, winning against Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova by points, albeit in a less decisive manner.
Khelif dominated her Olympic opener against Carini
Yu-Ting winning her opening bout against Turdibekova
The International Boxing Association (IBA) issued a statement on Wednesday about the controversy, asserting that their decisions to disqualify both competitors followed a thorough review process.
The IOC subsequently released a firmly worded statement: ‘All athletes competing in the boxing tournament at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 meet the eligibility and entry criteria, in addition to all relevant medical regulations established by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit, as well as prior Olympic boxing competitions, where participants’ gender and age are determined by their passports.’
‘Towards the end of the 2023 IBA World Championships, these athletes were abruptly disqualified without appropriate procedure. According to the available minutes from the IBA, this decision was initially made solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO.’
