Two Boxers Previously Disqualified For Having "XY Chromosomes" Are Set To Compete Against Women At The Paris Olympics

In an extremely dangerous decision, two athletes previously disqualified from a women’s world championship for having “XY chromosomes” are set to compete in the Paris Olympics as female boxers against actual female boxers.

Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan, who faced significant scrutiny and disqualification in the past, are scheduled to step into the ring next week under the women's category.

The saga began during the Women’s World Boxing Championships held in March 2023 in New Delhi, India. This championship, which saw 324 boxers from 64 nations, was the largest in its history. Yet, the event was overshadowed by the disqualification of several athletes, including Khelif and Lin, due to their sex.

Umar Kremlev, president of the International Boxing Association (IBA), announced the disqualifications, stating that the association had conducted DNA tests to ensure fairness. According to Kremlev, these tests revealed that some athletes had “XY chromosomes” and were thus excluded from competing as women. Khelif, who was poised to compete in the welterweight final, was one such athlete.

In an official statement, the IBA explained Khelif’s exclusion as a failure to meet eligibility criteria, a claim vehemently denied by the Algerian Olympic Committee. They alleged a conspiracy against their athlete, citing "high testosterone levels" as the reason for Khelif's removal, and vowed to support Khelif’s participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The disqualification stirred significant debate within the boxing community. Mexican boxer Brianda Tamara, who competed against Khelif, expressed relief at the decision.

"When I fought with her, I felt very out of my depth," she shared on social media. "Her blows hurt me a lot, I don’t think I had ever felt like that in my 13 years as a boxer, nor in my sparring with men."

Lin Yu-Ting, the second disqualified athlete, was also stripped of bronze medal despite having a record of five gold medals in women’s boxing. However, despite the controversies, both Khelif and Lin will compete in Paris. Khelif is set to fight Italy’s Angela Carini on August 1, and Lin will face an opponent the following day.

Neither athlete has publicly identified as transgender, leading to speculations that they may be affected by a Difference of Sexual Development (DSD). DSDs include a variety of medical conditions where the genitalia are atypical in relation to the chromosomes or gonads, a category made widely known by South African runner Caster Semenya’s case. Semenya, who has XY chromosomes and male gonads, was thrust into the spotlight when World Athletics demanded sex verification tests, revealing extremely elevated testosterone levels.

A representative from the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) criticized the ongoing confusion in women’s sports, stemming from the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision in 2000 to end sex-verification screening.

"The IOC’s decision has caused distrust and confusion in women’s sports ever since," said Marshi Smith, ICONS co-founder. The responsibility for eligibility criteria now lies with individual sporting bodies, resulting in inconsistent standards. The IOC created a new boxing qualification system for Paris 2024 but the system does not specify gender eligibility guidelines, leaving national federations to determine their own standards. According to Smith, this lack of clarity has allowed countries like Algeria and Taiwan to include male athletes in women’s boxing events.

"The physical abuse of women on an Olympic stage eliminates the integrity of all Olympic events and risks lifelong injury or even death for female athletes," Smith stated. "This deceit cannot be allowed to continue."

The issue also extends to mixed martial arts as well, where transgender athlete Fallon Fox competed against women, resulting in severe injuries to his opponents. Fox’s case has become a flashpoint in the debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports since male athletes retain physical advantages even after taking hormones, endangering female competitors.

Evie deserves to be heard. Support our cause and help women reclaim their femininity by subscribing today.