The Paris Olympics have been at the center of a huge controversy. Two boxers Imane Khelif & Lin Yu-ting who failed their gender test for the International Boxing Association (IBA) were allowed to compete at the Paris Olympics. After criticism against the boxers far and wide, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has come on to defend their decision. They have claimed that boxer duo are facing aggressive criticism owing to an arbitrary decision.
The duo failed to pass their gender test for IBA where it was revealed that they have XY chromosome. But since the IOC has banned the IBA, the former has allowed the two boxers to compete in the women’s category in Olympics.
Things turned worse when Italy’s Angela Carini pulled out o the Round of 16 match against Algeria’s Imane Khelif within 46 seconds. The Italian boxer pulled the plug after being hit with a barrage of punches in the opening seconds of the game. The other boxer, Lin Yu-ting is slated to take the ring today.
IOC defends their own decision
Despite receiving harsh words and criticism, the IOC stands firm on their own decision. While the IBA disqualified the duo in the 2023 World Championships, they were allowed to participate in Paris.
“These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA. Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process,” the IOC said in a statement.
“The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure – especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years. The IOC is saddened by the abuse that the two athletes are currently receiving,” it added. “Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination,” the IOC concluded.