Khelif of Algeria and Lin of Taiwan have been the focus of intense attention — and often inaccurate commentary — because both were disqualified at the 2023 world championships

IOC President Thomas Bach said the “hate speech” directed at boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting at the Paris Olympics is “totally unacceptable.”

“We will not take part in a politically motivated … cultural war,” Bach said at a news briefing Saturday at the midway point of the Paris Games, where he wanted to draw a line under days of global scrutiny about the female boxers’ gender.

  • dexa_scantron@lemmy.world
    39·
    3 months ago

    True, but largely irrelevant. There is no evidence that Khelif has XY chromosomes aside from an accusation by one corrupt Russian boxing official, made after Khelif beat a Russian boxer. They have not produced the test, said where it was done or what the results were.

    Here’s an AP News article with lots of information on the IBA and why their claims about Khelif are suspect: https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-khelif-russia-boxing-b53b1edda21139d14a572bd35ca440e6

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      14·
      3 months ago

      Someone in reply to me above inadvertently showed a very simple reason why they’re suspect by trying to prove they had accurate testing by sending me to the IBA’s own press release, which stated:

      Point to note, the athletes did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognized test, whereby the specifics remain confidential.

      They won’t even say how they tested her or who they administered the test. Just “we tested them, but not for testosterone, and believe us when we say the test results of the type of test we won’t tell you they took say they’re women.”

      And people keep telling me this is about testosterone. So if they weren’t tested by the IBA for testosterone, why does testosterone matter?

      • dexa_scantron@lemmy.world
        10·
        3 months ago

        The simplest explanation is that they didn’t do any tests, and this whole kerfuffle is a very successful act of revenge on the IOC, Khelif, and the rest of the sports world.

        • rhombus@sh.itjust.works
          8·
          3 months ago

          The AP article linked above even points out that it was three days after she beat a previously undefeated Russian newcomer. By disqualifying Khelif after the fact they retroactively made the Russian boxers record “perfect” again. Now they’re just trying to cause more issues after being stripped of their international recognition a few years ago.

          • Jojo, Lady of the West
            5·
            3 months ago

            Honestly, these ex post facto disqualifications seem pretty fishy to me to begin with. Shouldn’t qualification happen before a match, not after the results have already been decided?

            • rhombus@sh.itjust.works
              1·
              3 months ago

              Totally, especially for something that the boxer has no control over. It’s clearly just a way for them to invalidate the results they don’t like.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
          4·
          3 months ago

          I don’t think it matters either way. Until we’re told at the very least what the tests were or who administered them, any testing is irrelevant. They don’t even need to say what the results were. All they have to say is, “we did X test on them and Y doctor administered it and Z lab did the analysis.”

          Did they test them? Who knows? Who cares until they give us the details?

      • workerONE@lemmy.world
        3·
        3 months ago

        There’s so many people starting up discussions that aren’t factually relevant, like the testosterone discussion. Just wondering, why did you refer to the boxer as him? Maybe a typo?