The International Boxing Association said today that the International Olympic Committee ignored its concerns about Imane Khelif and Yu Ting Lin ahead of the Paris Olympics.
Algerian and Taiwanese boxers have recently become the most popular athletes in the world.
The storm was ignited when left-handed Italian Angela Carini surrendered just 46 seconds into her welterweight fight with Khelif on Thursday.
Carini refused to continue after receiving two spotless right shots, and Khelif reached the semi-finals.
Tomorrow the 25-year-old will face Janjaem Suwannapheng, while on Wednesday Lin will face Esra Yildiz in a fight for a place in the featherweight final.
Khelif and Lin were disqualified from last year’s IBA World Championships for failing “qualifying tests.”
The IBA announced at the time that both boxers had tested positive for the XY chromosome, a test typically performed on males.
Women typically have XX test scores, and Borislav Georgivev, Svetlana Staneva’s Bulgarian coach, showed the press a note that said, “I only want to play with women. I am XX” after Staneva lost to Lin.
Georgiev explained: “I wrote a message, but it came from every boxer participating in the tournament.”
The IBA held a cluttered and eventful press conference in the heart of Paris today, attended by Secretary General Chris Roberts OBE, Dr Ioannis Filippatos and Gabrielle Martelli, Chair of the IBA Trainers Committee.
IBA President Umar Kremlev joined the meeting via video link.
Roberts said there were some concerns about the 2022 Women’s World Cup in Up-to-date Delhi.
He said: “The coaches told us, ‘They are genetically stronger and you have to do something about it.’ We did some blood tests to check the situation.”
Dr. Filippatos confirmed that four boxers were tested and “two were found to have an abnormal chromosome.”
Roberts was asked to explain why no further testing was carried out until next year’s World Championships.
“This was something novel for us,” he explained. “One result came back from the lab and we waited until the next tournament to do another test. The next time we tested in a different lab, the test was conclusive.”
Dr Filippatos said: “The medical results indicate that this boxer is a man. We have two blood tests that indicate that he is not a woman. Khelif is a very good boxer, but I have to protect the women’s category.”
Dr. Filippatos also drew attention to the danger of allowing a person with XY chromosomes to compete in boxing with an athlete with an XX chromosome.
He claims that medical studies have shown that an athlete performing XY movements has a “162 percent” more powerful punch.
He added: “Player XY has a different power.”
Khelif reportedly appealed her World Championship disqualification and then withdrew her appeal. The Taiwanese, however, did not appeal.
Roberts said the IBA had agreed to cover some of the appeal costs and the boxer would pay the rest.
Roberts added: “The information (about the failed tests) was given to the IOC some time ago, in 2023. The results were given to the IOC but nothing was done with them.”
He added that the athletes were allowed to compete based on “the IOC’s own criteria, which I believe is their passport.”
The IBA was accused of trying to discredit the IOC after it was stripped of its status as the governing body for amateur boxing following investigations following the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Roberts said: “It (test results) is not something we mentioned before the event.
“It happened because of the performance of the Italian boxer (Carini) in the fight with Khelifa. The Italian boxer did not perform. It turned into a disaster.”
Roberts added: “Today I received letters from two NOCs (the NOCs of Algeria and Taiwan) saying that we cannot release the results (of the tests).
“You can read between the lines.”
IBA President Umar Kremlev was typically upbeat as he spoke to journalists via video link.
He said: “The tests showed they were male.
“I don’t know if they were born that way. They sent us tests and the second test confirmed the first.
“The test showed that the testosterone level was very high, typical for men.
“We sent all the data to the IOC, but they rejected our information and did not conduct their own checks.
“If you have doubts, ask them to take another test. Chromosomes can prove whether they are female or male.”
The Kremlin offered compensation to the boxers who lost to Lin and Khelife in Paris.
He has already said he is willing to pay Carini $50,000.
The cluttered news conference ended when reporters spotted Algerian boxer Roumaysa Boualem sitting in the back with an Algerian flag draped over her.
All attention turned away from the IBA representatives and towards her.
Boualem lost her first fight in Paris at lightweight flyweight and said: “Of course (it affected her).
“That’s not right. She’s robust. She’ll fight.”
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