Official announcement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC)

Paris 2024 Olympics Faces Controversy Over Eligibility of Boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting

Aug 4, 2024, 01:10 PM

The Paris 2024 Olympics has been embroiled in controversy over the eligibility of two boxers, Imane Khelif from Algeria and Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan, to compete in the women's boxing events. Both athletes, who have XY chromosomes, have faced scrutiny and backlash. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has criticized the gender tests that led to this controversy, labeling them as 'not legitimate' and part of a 'flawed process.' The issue has sparked significant debate, with Bulgarian boxer Svetlana Staneva making a female chromosomes gesture after losing to Lin Yu-ting. The controversy has highlighted broader issues of gender classification in sports, with various stakeholders weighing in on the fairness and validity of the current testing methods. Doriane Lambelet Coleman has provided an in-depth explanation of the historical, political, and medical context of this issue in an article for Quillette.