Olympics-No doubt boxers in gender dispute are women, IOC's Bach says
By Karolos Grohmann
PARIS, Aug 3 (Reuters) -Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwan's double world champion Lin Yu-ting are women who have every right to compete at the Paris Olympics despite a gender dispute that has overshadowed their competitions, the International Olympic Committee president said on Saturday.
The pair were cleared to compete in Paris despite being disqualified at the 2023 World Championships after failing International Boxing Association eligibility rules that prevent athletes with male XY chromosomes competing in women's events.
The IOC last year stripped the IBA of its status as boxing's governing body over governance issues, and took charge of the Paris 2024 boxing competition.
"We are talking about women's boxing. We have two boxers who were born as women, raised as women, who have passports as women and who have competed for many years as women and this is a clear definition of a woman," Thomas Bach told a press conference.
"There was never any doubt about them being women."
The IOC has said the IBA decision to disqualify them last year was arbitrary and the main cause for the furore that has swept social media and seen people such as J. K. Rowling and Elon Musk voice their opposition to them competing in the Games.
Khelif pummelled Angela Carini in the round of 16 of their welterweight bout on Thursday before the Italian stopped after 46 seconds, with the Algerian's dominant performance further fanning the debate. The IBA on Friday promised to pay the defeated athlete $50,000 in prize money.
'DEFAMATION CAMPAIGN'
Bach said the IBA's position was part of what he said was a defamation campaign. The IBA did not immediately respond to a request for a comment
"What we have seen from the Russian side and in particular from international federation from which we had to withdraw the recognition, that they have undertaken way before these Games a defamation campaign against France, against the Games, against the IOC," Bach said.
"They have made a number of comments in this respect which I don't want to repeat."
IBA President Umar Kremlev, a Russian businessman, has repeatedly posted inflammatory comments on social media against both Bach and the IOC for the decision to allow the pair to compete at the Games.
"I would ask everybody to respect these women, to respect them as women and as human beings," Bach said. "When you speak about human rights then you have the human right of every woman to participate in a women's competition."
Khelif's father Amar told Reuters he was proud of his daughter and backed her to win a medal for Algeria.
Bach said the IOC wanted to keep boxing in the Olympics given the social role it plays, especially for underprivileged parts of society but a new global body had to be created.
"Very clearly yes," he said when asked if he wanted to see boxing in future Olympics.
"Boxing is one of the most global sports, a sport with very high social values. In any country many boxers tend to come from underprivileged parts of society and boxing offers them many opportunities not only on the field of play but also off the field of play."
He said that was also true for women and Khelif was proof of that.
"This why it is even more deplorable with what is happening with Imane on social media. Because she has made it very clear that she is standing for the rights of women in her country and boxing gives the opportunity to express herself and gives her the confidence to do so."
Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Alison Williams
Dernières actualités
Avertissement : Les entités de XM Group proposent à notre plateforme de trading en ligne un service d'exécution uniquement, autorisant une personne à consulter et/ou à utiliser le contenu disponible sur ou via le site internet, qui n'a pas pour but de modifier ou d'élargir cette situation. De tels accès et utilisation sont toujours soumis aux : (i) Conditions générales ; (ii) Avertissements sur les risques et (iii) Avertissement complet. Un tel contenu n'est par conséquent fourni que pour information générale. En particulier, sachez que les contenus de notre plateforme de trading en ligne ne sont ni une sollicitation ni une offre de participation à toute transaction sur les marchés financiers. Le trading sur les marchés financiers implique un niveau significatif de risques pour votre capital.
Tout le matériel publié dans notre Centre de trading en ligne est destiné à des fins de formation / d'information uniquement et ne contient pas – et ne doit pas être considéré comme contenant – des conseils et recommandations en matière de finance, de fiscalité des investissements ou de trading, ou un enregistrement de nos prix de trading ou une offre, une sollicitation, une transaction à propos de tout instrument financier ou bien des promotions financières non sollicitées à votre égard.
Tout contenu tiers, de même que le contenu préparé par XM, tels que les opinions, actualités, études, analyses, prix, autres informations ou liens vers des sites tiers contenus sur ce site internet sont fournis "tels quels", comme commentaires généraux sur le marché et ne constituent pas des conseils en investissement. Dans la mesure où tout contenu est considéré comme de la recherche en investissement, vous devez noter et accepter que le contenu n'a pas été conçu ni préparé conformément aux exigences légales visant à promouvoir l'indépendance de la recherche en investissement et, en tant que tel, il serait considéré comme une communication marketing selon les lois et réglementations applicables. Veuillez vous assurer que vous avez lu et compris notre Avis sur la recherche en investissement non indépendante et notre avertissement sur les risques concernant les informations susdites, qui peuvent consultés ici.
