The Olympics are no stranger to controversy, and Paris 2024 is no exception. From human and political rights to athlete safety, there are many stories circulating. But the story that seems to have captured the world’s attention is that of Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, boxers from Algeria and Taiwan.
After Khelif and Yu-ting won their first fights, news broke that both boxers had been disqualified from the 2023 Women’s World Championships. Social media erupted and spread the idea that both fighters were transgender. Viral media picked up the story, and the wider boxing and sports world joined in to express their outrage.
This outrage was fueled by Khelif’s opening fight with Italian boxer Angela Carini. The fight lasted only 46 seconds, long enough to see Khelif land several punches before Carini gave up and broke down in tears. The Italian boxer stated that she had never felt such difficult punches and that she simply could not continue fighting. This show of emotion on Carini’s part promoted a forceful public opinion that Khelif had no place in women’s competition.
Imane Khelif and Angela Carini exchange blows (Photo: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
At first glance, it appeared to be a debate about whether trans women should compete in women’s sports, and Khelif was cast as a trans woman, putting cis women at risk. As the days passed, a photo of a newborn Khelif emerged with a statement from International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach stating, “This is not about a transgender issue. This is about a woman competing in a women’s category.” Given this explanation, we need to take a closer look at why both boxers were disqualified from last year’s World Championships.
The International Boxing Association (IBA) (formerly known as AIBA) claimed that Khelif and Yu-ting failed gender qualification tests because their DNA test results showed that both athletes had XY chromosomes, but the results were never released. The IBA governed Olympic boxing until 2019, when the IOC suspended the organization due to governance, financial, and corruption issues. This made the IBA the first federation to be expelled from the Olympic movement. Khelif was disqualified after defeating Russian boxer Azalia Amineva.
Why are these two boxers only now, at the peak of their careers, being questioned about their gender? Khelif and Yu-ting competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics without any fuss, speculation or controversy.
Given the growing debate on equal opportunities, wouldn’t it be a good idea for us to take a closer look at what we really consider to be “level”
The term “difference in sex development” (DSD) (formerly known as intersex) defines a broad spectrum of conditions in which the development of chromosomes, sex organs, and hormones is atypical. Given this spectrum, how do we establish clear but fair guidelines for what is fair and what is not, what we consider a natural physical advantage and what is an unfair advantage?
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a debate about gender eligibility. The most high-profile case was that of 800-meter runner Caster Semenya, who was asked to take medication to lower her testosterone levels if she wanted to continue competing. But the equivalent discussion surrounding male athletes is one of admiration, classifying elite athletes as superhumans because of their genetic makeup.
Michael Phelps won a staggering 28 Olympic medals in four Olympic games. News outlets and sports commentators were delighted to marvel at his disproportionately enormous arm span, double-jointed ankles, and ability to produce about half the lactic acid levels of his competitors. These unique physiological blessings are no doubt attributed to the fact that the 2000s were known as the “Phelps era.”
We should ask ourselves why we are punishing Semenya, Khelifa and Yu-ting while celebrating Phelps. The tone on social media was accusatory and at times felt like a witch hunt.
Prominent figures from politics and media have weighed in with their own cutting remarks: Donald Trump shared a video of Khelif fighting with the caption, “I WILL KEEP MEN AWAY FROM WOMEN’S SPORTS”; Piers Morgan published a news article under the headline, “Imane Khelif is NOT a biological woman” and separately tweeted a photo of Khelif with the caption, “If that’s a biological woman, then I’m a biological aardvark.”
Are these the words of men trying to protect women’s sports, or are they using this as an opportunity to make a political statement and remind everyone what a woman “should” look like?
I’ve been surprised (and slightly scared) by the speed at which disinformation spreads. The masses gorge on politically charged headlines, excited by the chance to throw out everything they think makes them moral authorities on the internet, without a care in the world to check facts or do due diligence.
The Olympics are the pinnacle of an amateur boxer’s career, but instead of being celebrated for their dedication and talent, Khelif and Yu-ting have become victims of slingshot judgments and media scandals. With the future of Olympic boxing hanging in the balance as it has yet to be added to the LA 2028 program, it would be a shame if this were to be the lasting memory of Olympic boxing.
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