Legal Action Against IOC Over Gender-Row Boxers

Controversy Erupts: IOC Faces Lawsuit for Boxing Decisions

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is facing legal action from the International Boxing Association (IBA) over the participation of boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting in the women’s boxing events at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Both athletes had previously been disqualified from the 2023 World Championships after failing gender eligibility tests administered by the IBA.

Despite these disqualifications, the IOC permitted Khelif and Lin to compete in the Olympics, citing that both athletes were born female, have always identified as women, and possess passports indicating their female gender. IOC President Thomas Bach stated, “We have two boxers who were born as women, who have been raised as women, who have a passport as a woman, and who have competed for many years as women.”

The IBA has expressed strong opposition to the IOC’s decision, arguing that it undermines the integrity of women’s boxing. IBA President Umar Kremlev announced plans to initiate legal proceedings against the IOC, asserting that the participation of these athletes violates established gender eligibility criteria.

This legal dispute underscores the ongoing challenges and debates surrounding gender eligibility in sports, particularly in disciplines like boxing where physicality plays a significant role.