Paris Olympics: IOC chief defends boxers caught in gender row, says won’t tolerate ‘politically motivated cultural war’

PARIS — The International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has defended the participation of boxers, Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting in the Paris 2024 Olympics despite being ‘biologically male’. The controversy centres around the eligibility of Khelif, from Algeria, and Lin, a Taiwanese double world champion, both of whom were previously disqualified from the 2023 World Championships for failing the International Boxing Association’s (IBA) eligibility criteria.

The IBA’s rules exclude athletes with male XY chromosomes, medically considered as biologically male, from competing in women’s events, which led to the disqualification of Khelif and Lin despite their longstanding status as female competitors.

Addressing the media on Saturday, Bach affirmed the IOC’s position, emphasizing that both athletes were born, raised, and recognized as women legally and professionally.

“Let’s be very clear here. We are talking about women’s boxing, and we have two boxers who were born as women, who have been raised as women, who have a passport as women, and who have competed for many years as women. And this is the clear definition of a woman,” Bach stated. He firmly dismissed any doubts about their gender identity.

The controversy gained significant attention after Khelif’s swift victory over Italy’s Angela Carini in a welterweight Round-of-16 bout, completed in just 46 seconds. The debate intensified as the IOC’s decision to allow Khelif and Lin to compete in Paris drew scrutiny and sparked a broader conversation about gender and eligibility in sports.

Bach condemned the backlash and hate speech directed at the athletes, both online and in public discourse. He criticised those attempting to redefine the criteria of womanhood for seemingly political purposes.

“What we see now is that some want to own the definition of who is a woman. And there I can only invite them to come up with a scientific-based new definition of who is a woman,” he said. He stressed that the IOC is open to considering new scientific evidence but will not engage in what he described as a “politically motivated cultural war.”

The IOC’s stance comes in the wake of its decision last year to strip the IBA of its international recognition, following concerns over governance issues.

Despite the uproar surrounding Khelif and Lin’s participation, the IOC has maintained its support for the athletes’ right to compete, affirming that their eligibility aligns with the organization’s definitions and standards.