IOC Supports Imane Khelif Amid Widespread Outrage Over Her Participation in the Paris Olympics 2024

The women’s flyweight category in boxing at the Paris Olympics 2024 has been at the center of massive scrutiny after a Round of 16 match between Italy and Algeria. In any other case, a win within the initial 46 seconds of a boxing match at the Olympics would have charted up the records list. However, when it happened on Thursday, it sent the world fuming over the unjust proceedings of the games. Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer, took the ring against Italy’s Angela Carini, punching her into abandoning the match within a matter of mere seconds. The issue with this all is that Imane Khelif was previously banned from World Championships for the presence of XY chromosomes in her. For the unversed, a human born with XY chromosomes is a biological male, and those with XX chromosomes are regarded as biological females.

Paris Olympics, Boxing: What Transpired Between Imane Khelif And Angela Carini?

Imane Khelif is one of the two athletes who gained clearance to participate in the Olympic games. Previously, Khelif, along with Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, was banned from the 2023 Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi. The International Boxing Association (IBA) banned the boxers for failing the gender test ahead of the tournament. However, the IOC allowed the boxers to take the ring for the Paris Olympics, reversing IBA’s decision. The qualification led to the match on Thursday, which ended up with Carini suffering a suspected broken nose at the hands of Khelif in the match.

Angela Carini, unable to take the pain caused by the blows of Khelif, signaled her corner to abandon the match. The Italian boxer broke down in tears, later explaining how the pain was nothing she had ever felt before. Carini expressed how she is a warrior but had to pull out of the match to ensure her physical safety. The issue at hand was clear for everyone to see, but respecting the IOC’s decision, Carini refused to comment on Khelif’s eligibility at the boxing event.

“I am heartbroken. I went to the ring to honor my father. I was told a lot of times that I was a warrior, but I preferred to stop for my health. I have never felt a punch like this,” Carini said. “After the second punch, after years of experience, I felt a strong pain in the nose. I said enough because I didn’t want to. I couldn’t finish the fight after the punch to the nose. So it was better to put an end to it,” she further explained. “Regardless of the person I had in front of me, which doesn’t interest me, regardless of all the row, I just wanted to win. I wanted to face the person that I had in front of me and to fight,” Carini added.

Though Carini didn’t comment on Khelif, netizens didn’t let the issue slide away. The internet bashed the IOC for blatant irresponsibility about the safety of women in the competition. Elon Musk, JK Rowling, and Italy’s PM, Giorgia Meloni, were some of the notable names who joined in the debate on Twitter. “I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women’s competitions … from my point of view, it was not an even contest,” the Italian PM expressed.

IOC Comes In Defence Of Imane Khelif Following The Online Outrage

Joint Paris 2024 Boxing Unit/IOC Statementhttps://t.co/22yVzxFuLd pic.twitter.com/fZvgsW8OOi

— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) August 1, 2024

Amidst widespread slander from the audience across the world, the IOC has defended its decision and Khelif’s participation in the Olympic games. Previously, the IBA was stripped of its authority by the IOC over governing and financial issues in 2023. Subsequently, the IOC landed with the authority to govern the eligibility criteria of athletes participating in the Paris Olympics 2024.

Now, the IOC has noted that the IBA’s decision to disqualify Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting was arbitrary, and every athlete now competing at the Paris Olympics 2024 is entirely in compliance with the tournament’s eligibility and entry regulations. The Committee argued that the boxers have gained eligibility from the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU) as well. Moreover, any athlete holding a passport with their name, age, and gender on it will be treated according to the information present there.

“According to the IBA minutes available on their website, this decision was initially taken solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO. The IBA Board only ratified it afterward and only subsequently requested that a procedure to follow in similar cases in the future be established and reflected in the IBA Regulations,” the IOC said.

“The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure - especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years. Such an approach is contrary to good governance,” the IOC added. “The IOC is saddened by the abuse that the two athletes are currently receiving. Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination,” the board concluded.

The IOC has brought in the debate of protecting the human rights of every athlete present at the tournament. However, the world beyond Paris disagrees with the terms that allow the likes of Khelif to fight against women in the championship. While the uproar over the issue is unrestrained, it seems like Khelif and Lin Yu-ting are in the clear to continue their fight at the Paris Olympics 2024.