Boxer who faced gender eligibility issue ignites outcry after 1st Olympic victory

Paris Olympics organizers are now in hot water after accusations of boxers being members of the LGBTQIA+ community competing in women’s competitions have surfaced online.

Algerian boxer Imane Khalif, who is biologically female, won against her Italian opponent Angela Carini in the women’s 66kg category Thursday night, Manila time. Carini abandoned her match 46 seconds into the bout, giving Khalif the win.

Khelif has found herself in the middle of the storm, not just for a swift victory over Carini, but for a controversy that questioned her eligibility to compete in the women’s division as she failed a “sex test” last year.

In the match, Carini was seen getting emotional after she threw in the towel just 46 seconds into the fight. The Italian with her tears flowing claimed that she could not continue anymore after being hit with powerful blows that she has never experienced before.

The Algerian was previously ousted from the world championships after failing a testosterone test. She has now faced a bunch of backlash. Even the social media world has erupted because of the issue though they have been divided with their opinions. Some supported Khelif like former Arsenal star Ismael Bennacer and said that she was receiving “unjustified hatred” while others vocally criticized the Algerian like notable figures J.K. Rowling and UK’s ex-Prime Minister Liz Truss. 
 

Joint Paris 2024 Boxing Unit/IOC Statement

To address the issue, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), alongside the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit has addressed the furor with their joint statement saying, "Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination." They also emphasized that all athletes at the Games, including Khelif, met the competition's stringent eligibility and medical regulations.

Though the statement did not mention Khelif by name, it tackled the swirling misinformation head-on. The IOC stressed that these athletes have long competed in the women's category, including at the 2020 Tokyo Games, and that their eligibility was not up for debate.