Olympic Committee rejects Turkish Boxing Federation appeal regarding Imane Khelif

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has rejected an appeal from the Turkish Boxing Federation to disqualify Algerian boxer Imane Khelif from the 2024 Paris Olympics. The appeal, which cited Khelif’s failure to pass gender eligibility tests in previous competitions, was dismissed by the IOC, sparking controversy and debate.

Khelif’s participation in the women’s 66 kg boxing event came under scrutiny after Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew just 46 seconds into their bout, held at the North Paris Arena, following a series of hard blows from Khelif.

The Turkish Boxing Federation’s appeal referenced Khelif’s disqualification from the 2023 Women’s World Boxing Championships for not meeting the gender eligibility criteria. The federation urged the IOC to consider these past issues and remove Khelif from the Olympic competition.

In a letter to the IOC, the International Boxing Association (IBA) supported the Turkish appeal, explaining, “On March 24, 2023, IBA disqualified Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting from the 2023 Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi for failing to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in women’s competitions, as outlined in the IBA regulations.”

The IBA emphasized that while the athletes were not subjected to testosterone tests, they underwent a separate, confidential test that conclusively showed they did not meet the necessary criteria and had a competitive advantage over other female athletes.

Despite these concerns, the IOC maintained its stance, rejecting the appeals from both the IBA and the Turkish Boxing Federation. In a statement, the IOC said, “All athletes participating in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games boxing tournament adhere to the eligibility and entry regulations, as well as the applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU). Gender and age of athletes are determined by their passports, as has been the practice in previous Olympic boxing competitions.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her disapproval of Khelif’s participation, stating, “I believe athletes with male genetic characteristics should not be accepted in women’s competitions.” Meloni emphasized the need to protect the rights of female athletes to compete on equal terms.

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X, also commented on the issue, asserting, “Men have no place in women’s sports,” to which he added, “Absolutely.”