The fight has been going on for months, and it is still unclear when the bell will ring. The International Boxing Association (IBA) has been pointing out at every opportunity that Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting should not have been allowed to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics, hoping to make examples of them in its handling of transgender athletes. Faced with repeated attacks, the Algerian Olympic champion has put her gloves back on and announced that she would not hesitate to sue the IBA. The saga, a symbol of the debate on the place given to transgender athletes, promises to be long.
"I will fight in the ring, I will fight in court"
Abandoned by the IOC, the IBA has turned this issue into a political affair. Determined to prove that it was right to disqualify Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, it announced the filing, in Switzerland, of a complaint against the authority, saying the IOC had put the safety of other boxers at risk by allowing them to participate. Similar complaints are to be filed in France and the United States. IBA President Umar Kremlev called on athletes who suffered from the situation to step up the pressure by filing complaints as well "against IOC President Thomas Bach, Sports Director Kit McConnell, and their respective teams". The Russian has also promised “comprehensive and free legal support” to the boxers who will take this path. The message is clear: the boxing world must stand up to the IOC and its leaders.
Imane Khelif responded on her social networks. "The IBA, an organisation with which I am no longer associated and which is no longer recognised by the International Olympic Committee, has again made unfounded accusations which are false and insulting, she wrote in her press release. My team is analyzing the situation carefully and will take all necessary legal measures to ensure that my rights and the principles of fair competition are respected. Those who carried out these actions should be held accountable, and we will pursue all legal avenues to ensure justice prevails. I am not running away. I will fight in the ring, I will fight in court."
The IBA put a coin in the machine by applauding this statement. Far from fearing a trial, the federation sees it as an opportunity to support its position and highlight the gender tests it had carried out. "We have received excellent news: the IOC will have to face the consequences of its decisions because Imane Khelif will take legal action against the IBA, commented Umar Kremlev. We are very happy because we will be able to prove in court that Khelif, based on the eligibility criteria, was not allowed to participate in women's boxing events in order to ensure safety and equal opportunities for female competitors. We will insist on the forensic examination, which will prove our position, and we will communicate the result accordingly. Thomas Bach will have to answer personally for his actions in court."
The future IOC president as referee?
Confident, the IBA is looking for nothing other than the KO. It presents itself as the federation most committed to this fight for the fairness and safety of female boxers, in contrast to its new rival, World Boxing. A firmness that has hit home with Azania Omo-Agege, acting president of the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF), who publicly questioned his predecessor Kenneth Minimah's decision to leave the IBA to join World Boxing, "a federation that supports transgender athletes, which is against our constitution". The return of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States has reinforced the IBA in its ideaThe Republican was in fact quick to sign a decree for "keep men out of women's sports »The billionaire has targeted Imane Khelif since the Games, both on social media and in his speeches, clearly implying that he considers her a man.
The subject is gaining momentum and is now being discussed in many federations. World Triathlon has just revised its regulations, focusing in particular on an open category by age group and on participation in university research. World Athletics has for its part launched a consultation until March 5, with the aim of taking into account the latest scientific advances and "to maintain fair conditions of competition in the women's category" said Sebastian Coe. At the end of January, in Lausanne, candidate David Lappartient explained that the IOC should "to guide international federations towards decisions based on common principles and to avoid a situation in which each international federation would take a different position in equivalent scenarios, which could harm the unity of the Olympic movement"The March election promises to have even greater impact on the issue.
