Angry boxing union delivers bizarre spectacle full of contradictions
A heated gender debate has erupted around boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yuting at the Olympic Games. The controversial boxing federation IBA has now convened a press conference in Paris, putting itself under pressure in the process.
With a bizarre spectacle full of contradictions, the controversial and suspended boxing world federation IBA has poured more fuel on the fire in the intense gender debate surrounding two boxers at the Olympic Games, raising more questions than answers. "We have scientific tests that show they are male," claimed IBA President Umar Kremlev during a media round in Paris. These tests showed "very high testosterone levels," but he couldn't say "whether they are transgender cases or not."
Ioannis Filippatos, former chairman of the IBA's medical committee, explained: "The problem is that we have two blood tests with a male karyotype. That's the lab's response." The IBA couldn't disclose these results, added IBA Secretary General Chris Roberts. "The IOC has received all this information about the tests. The interesting situation here is that the IOC hasn't done anything with it." Even if such a test shows XY chromosomes, it does not automatically mean the person is male. There are also XY women.
In a statement last week, the federation claimed that no testosterone tests had been conducted on Algerian Imane Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yuting. Both boxers were excluded from IBA competitions in 2023 but are eligible to compete in Paris because the IOC is once again organizing the boxing tournament. Khelif and Lin are both in the semi-finals and have already secured a medal.
"A Provocation by Thomas Bach"
"The content and organization of the IBA press conference say everything you need to know about this organization and its credibility," the IOC later stated. Speaking earlier, IOC spokesman Mark Adams had said of the federation's officials, "These people are only credible in their own minds." Regarding the letter containing information about the tests, Adams said the IOC had not engaged with the scientific standards of the analysis because it was not a legitimate source. The IOC does not recognize the IBA and is organizing the boxing tournament at the Olympics again.
The IBA invited media representatives to the Salon des Miroirs in the heart of Paris on Monday at short notice. Around 100 journalists and about two dozen camera teams attended. The event started around an hour and a half late and was marked by technical difficulties and interruptions from the audience. There were repeated tumultuous scenes.
Kremlev, the IBA boss with ties to the Kremlin, launched into a 20-minute monologue in Russian, harshly attacking the IOC and President Thomas Bach. "I'm only here to clear up the chaos," said Kremlev, who spoke loudly and impulsively. "I want to defend and protect all boxers." The fact that the IOC did not conduct its own tests before the Games, despite being informed by the IBA, was "a provocation by Thomas Bach," Kremlev said. He ranted, "We're destroying the sport this way."
"An Attack on Human Rights"
The IOC believes that the gender indicated in a passport is the determining factor for eligibility. On Sunday, IOC spokesman Adams outlined why a gender test is unsound and does not provide a reliable basis. He spoke of an "attack on the human rights of these female athletes." Bach had explained on Saturday that there had "never been any doubt" that Khelif and Lin are "women."
The IOC, as it did three years ago in Tokyo, is responsible for organizing the boxing tournament. This is due to the suspension of the now-disbanded International Boxing Association (IBA) in 2019. The IBA has been criticized for corruption, leadership issues, and unfair competition. However, the current leadership, led by Kremlev, reported "comprehensive reforms".
In response to the IBA's claims of high testosterone levels and potential male karyotype for boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yuting, the IOC remains silent and does not act on the provided information, confirming its lack of recognition and involvement with the IBA's decisions.
The IBA's president, Umar Kremlev, accuses IOC President Thomas Bach of provocation by not conducting its own tests before the Games, viewing this as an attempt to destroy the sport of boxing.
