Women’s Boxing adjusts to the realization that a new dawn is inevitable in one way or another. The forthcoming storm will transpire due to Imane Khelif winning an Olympic gold medal.
On Friday, Khelif took the top spot on the podium following victory over Yang Liu in the welterweight category. The triumph will send shockwaves through the sport until the International Olympic Committee carries out official tests.
Right now, Khelif is seen as having male advantages due to DSD, a disorder affecting sexual development that gives female sufferers the XY chromosome, and significant benefits that come with having the male-only Y.
Tests undertaken by the IBA [formerly AIBA] and ratified from a certified laboratory were sent to the IOC and ignored after Khelif and featherweight Lin Yu-Ting were uncovered to have DSD in 2022 and 2023. They were both eventually banished from the World Championships, which by this time were not under the IOC banner due to the IBA being suspended for improper conduct.
This suspension is a significant factor in why many attempts to discredit the testing procedures and why the IOC allowed Khelif and Yu-Ting to compete. The IOC also released a statement confirming they would not remove either competitor from Paris 2024 in mid-competition. However, now that Khelif has a gold medal, the IOC faces a massive crisis over DSD and the Y chromosome problem.
Fans, media, and those involved in the sport over the next four years will require the IOC to carry out its own transparent testing. If the Y chromosome is present, who can qualify to fight in the Women’s tournament in Los Angeles in 2028 will have to be reevaluated.
The Women’s Boxing Y Chromosome debate
Mauricio Sulaiman, head of the World Boxing Council and one of those trying to save boxing’s inclusion at the 2028 Games, aired his views on the debate before Khelif won the gold. Sulaiman blames a bitter feud between the now-banished IBA and the IOC.
“The news that has flooded the networks and tarnished the activity at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is regrettable and clearly exposes the crisis that amateur and Olympic-style boxing is going through,” said Sulaiman.
“Two female boxers have been accused of being transgender, of having XY chromosomes [male], or some other condition [DSD], which, when fighting against a woman, gives them an unfair competitive advantage.
“The attacks and posts continue. The vast majority without having the minimum elements to express an informed and salient opinion. The central and most serious factor that should matter is the athletes’ integrity, safety, and well-being.
“The main conflict has been the media war between the IOC and IBA, which was the International Federation recognized by the same entity. They have taken center stage by attacking each other in a clear power struggle that will not solve the core issue.”
On Khelif and Yu-Ting, Sulaiman added, “Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting are the fighters in question. Without definitive evidence, they were apparently born XX [female]. They are not trans, and apparently, they were not born with Y chromosomes, but they do have a genetic condition [DSD] that gives them significant physical advantages.
Future testing and transparency
“It is not the fault of Imane and Lin, who are suffering attacks, scorn, and derision. Everything is being mixed up, from science and medicine, homophobia, sexism, human rights, laws, rules, and even abandonment of common sense to attack them.
“The reality is that their rivals get into the ring taking unacceptable risks. Boxing is not a game. It is a contact sport,” he added.
Like most of those who care about the future of Women’s boxing, Sulaiman doesn’t know the whole situation either. It’s down to the IOC to clear up the mess that continues to confuse and cause division due to the ongoing plague of social media.
World Boxing, a new entity that seeks to replace the IBA as the Olympic standard in amateur boxing, could play a key role in shaping the future of this debate.
The first thing the sport needs is transparency and honesty, which is why the mass hysteria on social media erupted. If those involved, including the boxers, had aired the results of tests—which were not appealed to the fullest extent—a lot of the abuse thrown due to misinformation could have been avoided.
However, knowing you have an advantage is one thing. Acting on it is another, and that’s why the authorities have to step in for the good of Olympic Boxing—if its future participation can be secured.
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
