The 25-year-old boxer, who debuted at the Olympic Games with a victory after her opponent withdrew, was unable to compete for the International Boxing Association title in 2023 following an "independent and recognized test." Algerian boxer Imane Khelif's participation has become one of the most talked-about topics of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Her debut in the up-to-66 kilos category raised questions, which intensified on Thursday when she triumphed in less than 50 seconds after the Italian Angela Carini withdrew at the North Paris Arena.
Khelif was cleared to participate by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Boxing Unit, which regulates this discipline at Paris 2024, but controversy arose because the International Boxing Association (IBA) had disqualified her in 2023 during the world championship for allegedly failing to pass gender eligibility tests due to "high levels of testosterone."
As the issue gained worldwide attention, the IBA issued a statement addressing the cases of both Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting, who was set to debut on Friday in the up-to-57 kg division against Uzbek Sitora Turdibekova. Both received the IOC's approval but were banned by the IBA. "On 24 March 2023, the IBA disqualified athletes Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif from the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships New Delhi 2023 due to their failure to meet the eligibility criteria set by the IBA Rules and Regulations. This decision was essential to maintain fairness and integrity in the competition," the IBA stated.
The organization explained that the athletes "did not undergo a testosterone test but an independent and recognized test, the details of which remain confidential." They concluded, "This test indicated that both athletes did not meet the necessary eligibility criteria and had competitive advantages over other female competitors."
This decision followed tests at the 2022 Istanbul World Championships and the 2023 New Delhi World Championships. The IBA noted that Lin Yu-ting did not appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), while Khelif initially appealed but later withdrew, making the IBA decision legally binding.
The Guardian reported that the IOC's internal website for journalists acknowledged Khelif was "disqualified just hours before her gold medal match against Yang Liu at the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi, India, after her elevated testosterone levels failed to meet eligibility criteria." Lin faced a similar issue, being stripped of her bronze medal after failing a biochemical test.
However, the IBA has no say in Olympic boxing as it was removed from the planning body due to governance issues and scandals involving judges. The IOC Boxing Unit has "more lenient rules than the IBA."
Khelif was set to contest the world title in New Delhi in March 2023 after beating Thailand's Janjaem Suwannapheng in the semi-finals but was disqualified before the final against China's Yang Liu, who took her place. She did not receive the third-place prize for the semi-finalists.
At the time, Khelif claimed she was warned she "had characteristics that meant she could not box against women" and described the situation as "a huge plot" against her country. The issue resurfaced at Paris 2024, with the coach of Italian boxer Angela Carini stating in Gazzetta dello Sport that his pupil received "hundreds of messages, also on social media, inviting her not to fight for her safety and to protest."
In response, the Algerian Olympic and Sports Committee condemned the "immoral behavior and defamation" of Imane Khelif, calling the attacks on her "deeply unjust" in a statement on social media.
The president of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), Giovanni Malagò, told Corriere dello Sport, "The IOC has assured us that hormonal and scientific controls have been conducted and that, therefore, Imane Khelif can compete as a woman."
Next Saturday, Khelif will face Hungarian Luca Hámori in the quarter-finals, who eliminated Australian Marissa Williamson. Meanwhile, Taiwanese Lin Yu-ting will debut on Friday (starting at 10:30 in Argentina) in the up-to-57 kg category against Uzbek Sitora Turdibekova.
As stated, the IBA finds it appropriate to address recent media statements regarding athletes Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif, particularly concerning their participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
On 24 March 2023, the IBA disqualified athletes Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif from the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships New Delhi 2023 due to their failure to meet the eligibility criteria as per the IBA Rules and Regulations. This decision was essential to maintain fairness and integrity in the competition.
It should be noted that the athletes did not undergo a testosterone test but an independent and recognized test, the details of which remain confidential. This test indicated that both athletes did not meet the necessary eligibility criteria and had competitive advantages over other female competitors.
The IBA decision was ratified by the IBA Board on 25 March 2023. The official record of this decision is available on the IBA website.
The disqualification was based on tests conducted at the 2022 Istanbul World Championships and the 2023 New Delhi World Championships.
Lin Yu-ting did not appeal the IBA's decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), making the decision legally binding. Imane Khelif initially appealed but withdrew the appeal during proceedings, making the IBA decision legally binding.
Our committees have rigorously reviewed and endorsed the decision taken during the World Championships. While the IBA remains committed to ensuring competitive fairness, we express concerns about the inconsistent application of eligibility criteria by other sports organizations, including those overseeing the Olympic Games. The different IOC regulations on these matters raise serious questions about competitive fairness and athlete safety.
To clarify why the IOC allows athletes with competitive advantages to compete in its events, we urge stakeholders to seek answers directly from the IOC.