Skye Nicolson, the reigning women’s featherweight world champion, has come to the defense of the boxers involved in the ongoing Olympics gender debate, criticizing those who are ‘jumping on the bandwagon without understanding the full context.’
Nicolson, who claimed the WBC featherweight title earlier this year, shared a video on her Instagram story where she mentioned that she has both fought and sparred with Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting, who are currently at the center of controversy during this summer’s Olympic Games.
Despite being disqualified from last year’s world championships after tests reportedly showed they possess male ‘XY chromosomes’, both fighters have been approved to compete in the women’s category at the Paris Olympics.
This decision has led to significant outrage on social media and in the press, with numerous prominent figures condemning the choice to allow them to compete.
However, Nicolson has emphasized that both Khelif and Yu-Ting were born female, criticizing their detractors for making hasty judgments.
Skye Nicolson has defended the boxers at the center of the Olympics gender row
Imane Khelif (left) and Lin Yu-Ting (right) were cleared to compete in the women’s category despite being disqualified from last year’s world championships amid gender questions
Speaking in her video, Nicolson stated: ‘I want to clarify a couple of things: 1. I have fought and sparred with both of these girls. They were born female.
‘They happen to have XY chromosomes, the male chromosome, but they were born with female bodies. They possess female physical attributes.
‘They have always identified and lived as females. They have competed as women throughout their careers. These are not individuals who were born male and are now identifying as female to compete in the Olympics.’
Khelif, who participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was disqualified from the 2023 world championships after failing gender eligibility tests shortly before her scheduled gold-medal match, while Yu-Ting lost her bronze medal under similar circumstances.
At the time of their disqualification, Umar Kremlev, president of the International Boxing Association (IBA), stated that the tests had revealed the athletes had ‘XY chromosomes’.
He mentioned that they had ‘uncovered athletes who were trying to deceive their peers by pretending to be women.’
Nicolson, who has fought both women, reiterated that they were both born female
The Australian boxer has held the WBC featherweight title since April of this year
Nicolson further explained: ‘During the IBA World Championships, the decision to conduct chromosome testing led to the discovery that these two athletes had XY chromosomes.
‘It was not due to a testosterone test or any physical assessment; they do not exhibit male physical traits.
‘Despite the complexity of this issue, the hostility and sensationalism by the media and those without complete understanding of the facts are truly unfortunate.
‘These athletes have represented their nation for many years as female competitors and deserve better treatment. They have faced unfortunate circumstances and do not deserve this level of scrutiny.’
Further stoking the flames of discontent, Khelif displayed her dominance over Italy’s Angela Carini in her Olympic debut, forcing her opponent to withdraw after just 46 seconds.
Yu-Ting also triumphed in her opening bout, winning on points against Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova in a less decisive manner.
Khelif dominated Italy’s Angela Carini in her Olympic opener
Yu-Ting also won her opening bout, defeating Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova on points
In a statement released on Wednesday, the International Boxing Association (IBA) addressed the ongoing controversy, asserting that their decisions to disqualify both athletes followed ‘a thorough review’.
The IOC responded strongly on Friday, stating: ‘All athletes involved in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 adhere to the eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical standards set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit, consistent with prior Olympic boxing events, where gender and age determinations are based on their passports.
‘Towards the conclusion of the 2023 IBA World Championships, these athletes were abruptly disqualified without any due process. According to the minutes from the IBA posted on their website, this decision was initially made solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO.’
