A controversy has emerged in Olympic boxing following Algeria’s Imane Khelif’s victory in the women’s welterweight category amidst eligibility disputes, with a similar situation likely to unfold on Friday.
Khelif is among two athletes in the Games who were disqualified from the Women’s Boxing World Championships last year.
The International Boxing Association (IBA), which has lost its recognition due to various governance issues, disqualified Khelif along with Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting from the event.
Lin secured a bronze medal in the women’s featherweight category at the World Championships.
The 28-year-old won three bouts before being defeated in the semi-finals by Kazakhstan’s Karina Ibragimova.
Algeria’s Imane Khelif, left, has been cleared to compete in women’s boxing at the Paris 2024 Olympics and won in the welterweight bout when Angela Carini, right, abandoned
Lin Yu-ting, who like Khelif was disqualified from the Women’s World Championships last year, will take to the ring on Friday in the featherweight division
Lin will enter the boxing competition as the Asian Games champion and top seeded fighter
The IBA later revoked Lin’s medal, citing failure to meet eligibility requirements.
In a statement released Wednesday, the IBA clarified that both Lin and Khelif had ‘failed to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the women’s competition.’
‘This decision, made after a thorough review, was crucial to ensure fairness and maintain the integrity of the competition,’ an IBA statement stated.
‘The athletes did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subjected to a different recognized test, which details remain confidential.
‘This test clearly indicated that both athletes did not fulfill the necessary eligibility criteria and were deemed to have competitive advantages over other female competitors.’
The IBA reported that the tests were conducted during their World Championships in 2022 and 2023, with Lin opting not to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
No specifics regarding the conducted tests have been announced by the IBA, stating that the ‘details remain confidential.’
Despite the disqualification, Lin competed at the Asian Games in Hangzhou later in 2023.
Lin triumphed at the Asian Games last year to secure a place at a second Olympic Games
The International Boxing Association, led by president Umar Kremlev, has disqualified both Lin and Khelif from the World Championships claiming they failed eligibility tests
Lin subsequently claimed gold at the continental tournament, defeating Ibragimova in the final held in China, thus qualifying for a second Olympic Games.
Having participated in Tokyo 2020, Lin lost to Philippines’ eventual silver medalist Nesthy Petecio—whom Lin also defeated on her way to the Asian Games title.
Lin is set to represent Taiwan, referred to as Chinese Taipei at the Olympic Games, in the 57-kilogram featherweight category.
The two-time world and Asian Championships gold medalist, reporting 40 wins and 14 losses in her amateur career, is regarded as the top seed in the competition.
Her first match will be against Sitora Turdibekova from Uzbekistan, who won her initial fight against Marcelat Sakobi Matshu of the Democratic Republic of Congo by split decision.
Lin’s entry into the ring follows the recent controversy surrounding Khelif’s participation and win on Thursday morning.
The Algerian boxer emerged victorious against Angela Carini in the first round of their welterweight bout, as the Italian competitor withdrew after just 46 seconds following receiving two punches.
‘I went into the ring to fight,’ Carini stated, according to the Italian news agency ANSA. ‘I didn’t give up, but a punch hurt too much, so I said enough. I’m leaving with my head held high.’
Carini had noted before the fight that she could ‘only adapt to the rules of the Olympics.’
‘I am nobody to judge and I have nothing against my opponent. I had a task and I fulfilled it even if she didn’t make it,’ Carini added while speaking to Gazzetta Dello Sport.
‘What happened before the match had no bearing.’
According to the feminist website Reduxx, both Lin and Khelif are affected by a Difference of Sexual Development (DSD), a set of conditions recognized at birth where genitalia appears atypical in relation to chromosomes.
Ahead of Khelif’s initial bout at Paris 2024, the COA condemned the ‘groundless attacks’ against their athlete.
Carini was hit twice in the opening round before abandoning the contest after 46 seconds
The Italian boxer dropped to her knees after abandoning and was seen crying in the ring
The Algerian team have hit back at ‘baseless attacks’ against Khelif ahead of the competition
‘The COA strongly condemns the unethical targeting and defaming of our respected athlete, Imane Khelif, with unfounded propaganda from certain foreign media outlets.
‘Such attacks on her character and dignity are profoundly unjust, particularly as she approaches the peak of her career at the Olympics. The COA has implemented all necessary actions to support our champion.’
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams cautioned against a ‘witch hunt’ directed at the two boxers eligible to compete in Paris and criticized misinformation, emphasizing that the cases do not pertain to transgender issues.
Adams urged that the rhetoric be ‘toned down’, asserting that all rules were transparent and previously applied during the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
