Boxers who failed gender tests at world championships cleared to compete at Olympics
GuardianJUL 21 2024
Italian boxer Angela Carini abandoned her Olympic bout on Thursday after 46 seconds, allegedly due to severe pain in her nose from two punches, as she was heard telling "Non è giusto" ("It's not fair") to her corner. She didn't acknowledge her opponent and cried on her knees in the ring, but claimed her withdrawal wasn't a political statement.
This welterweight preliminary round match had long been engulfed in gender controversy, with Rome expressing concerns over rules that allowed her opponent, Imane Khelif of Algeria, to compete in Paris despite failing International Boxing Association's (IBA) gender-eligibility tests.
It's unclear what these tests consisted of, as the IBA has offered little details except that the athlete wasn't subject to a testosterone exam. Last year, its president claimed that Khelif had XY chromosomes — a typical male pattern that has been seen in other female athletes, including Olympic champion runner Caster Semenya.
Originally meant to be a celebration of excellence, the Olympics have turned into a horror show as a non-biological woman was allowed to fight biological women. It's certain that this case may be a bit more complicated than those of transgender athletes, but Khelif must be banned due to an unfair advantage that risks the safety of her opponents.
leftAnti-trans activists were quick to attack Khelif, a cisgender woman taking part in the Women's welterweight boxing competition at the Paris Olympics, paying little attention to the fact that she had competed at Tokyo 2020 without any commotion. Yes, she has a genetic advantage over her rivals — just as most world-class athletes.