- Khelif and Lin Yu-ting were banned from the world championships last year
- The timing of the IBA’s decision has been called into question by the IOC
- Khelif guaranteed herself a medal after unanimous decision win against Hamori
The head of the International Boxing Association has labelled the competition at the Paris Games ‘truly terrifying’ and claimed that the decision to allow gender row boxer Imane Khelif to participate is ‘destroying women’s sports’.
Khelif defiantly declared ‘I am a woman’ after guaranteeing herself a medal with a unanimous decision win over Anna Luca Hamori on Saturday.
The Algerian welterweight, one of two athletes at the centre of an Olympics storm, was banned from last year’s world championships by the Russian-led IBA after they claimed she failed a gender test.
Umar Kremlev, who heads the body, slammed the decision to allow the 25-year-old and Chinese Taipei fighter Lin Yu-ting to compete and claimed that their participation is damaging to ‘women’s sports’.
‘It’s sad when we shout to the whole world that we are for gender equality, protection of women and then they simply destroy women’s sports,’ he told Sky News.
Algerian welterweight Imane Khelif (right) claimed victory against Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori on Saturday
The 25-year-old is one of two athletes at the centre of an Olympics storm at the Paris Games
IBA head Umar Kremlev believes the participation of Khelif and Chinese Taipei fighter Lin Yu-ting is ‘destroying women’s sport’
‘We must not allow this to happen. If we remain silent now, then later it will become normal. This is why our relationship with [the IOC] is deteriorating – because they do not protect athletes. And we do protect athletes.’
On Friday, the Olympic Committee pushed back at the IBA’s ruling and claimed that the two athletes were ‘victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision’.
‘Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process.’ A statement from the IOC read.
‘According to the IBA minutes available on their website, this decision was initially taken solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO.’
Some sports have limited the levels of testosterone allowed for athletes competing in women’s competition, while others ban everyone who has been through male puberty.
Differences of Sexual Disorder are a group of rare conditions involving genes, hormones and reproductive organs.
Some people with DSDs are raised as female but have XY sex chromosomes and blood testosterone levels in the male range.
The IOC said the rules of eligibility were based on those of the Tokyo Games in 2021 and could not be changed during a competition.
The governing body 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.’
Lin Yu-Ting triumphed at the Asian Games last year to secure a place at a second Olympic Games
Khelif’s first fight in Paris lasted just 46 seconds when Italy’s Angela Carini quit in tears saying she feared for her life.
But on Saturday, the tears were her own after a dominant performance which saw her cheered on by hundreds of noisy Algerians and later congratulated by the country’s president who said she had ‘honoured Algeria, Algerian women and Algerian boxing’.
Khelif will meet Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng, in the semi-final on Tuesday. Should she win, she will fight for gold on Friday.