In a chaotic press conference in Paris, the International Boxing Association (IBA) declared that medical and blood test results confirm two boxers at the center of a gender controversy in the Paris Olympics "are male." Despite their disqualification by the IBA, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has allowed the athletes to compete, leading to ongoing disputes and a defense from national officials.
Tag: Imane Khelif
The Paris 2024 Olympics has been overshadowed by a significant controversy involving gender tests in boxing. Italian boxer Angela Carini and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif have become central figures in a heated debate about gender eligibility in sports.
Angela Carini's Olympic dream ended in tears, blood, and a mere 46 seconds. Two powerful right hooks from her opponent, Imane Khelif, left the Italian boxer bruised, breathless, and questioning the very fairness of the fight. The reason? Khelif is a transgender athlete, previously deemed "biologically male" and banned from the Women's World Championships, yet cleared to compete in the Olympics under the IOC's more lenient rules. The fight itself was a mismatch from the start. Khelif, taller and visibly stronger, dominated the center of the ring, while Carini struggled to land a punch. After the second blow sent her reeling, Carini turned to her coach, pleading, "It's not fair." Her protests were met with a chilling silence from Olympic officials, who seemed more concerned with maintaining the illusion of inclusion than ensuring the safety and fairness of the competition.