Bulgaria, Hungary weigh in on boxing gender row at Paris Games

Hungary’s boxing federation and Bulgaria’s Olympic Committee have contacted the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to object to the participation of Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting at the Paris Olympics, the governing bodies said on Friday (2 August) amid a gender dispute at the Games.

Algeria’s Khelif and Asian Games and double world champion Lin were cleared to compete in Paris despite being disqualified at the 2023 World Championships after failing International Boxing Association (IBA) eligibility rules that prevent athletes with male XY chromosomes competing in women’s events.

The IOC last year stripped the IBA of its status as boxing’s governing body over governance issues, and took charge of the Paris 2024 boxing competition itself, but now finds itself at the centre of a row over the pair’s participation.

Welterweight Khelif next takes on Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori, while Lin faces Svetlana Kamenova Staneva of Bulgaria.

On Thursday, Hungary’s Hamori said she was not scared of Khelif, while Staneva said the row was not a good look for women’s boxing.

The IOC last year stripped the IBA of its status as boxing’s governing body over governance issues, and took charge of the Paris 2024 boxing competition itself, but now finds itself at the centre of a row over the pair’s participation.

Welterweight Khelif next takes on Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori, while Lin faces Svetlana Kamenova Staneva of Bulgaria.

On Thursday, Hungary’s Hamori said she was not scared of Khelif, while Staneva said the row was not a good look for women’s boxing.

“In addition, we express our concern for the health of female competitors, as it has been scientifically proven that men’s blows are much stronger than women’s and can lead to severe injuries and permanent trauma.

Kheireddine Barbari, the head of the Algerian delegation at the Paris Olympics, told reporters that the Algerian Olympic Committee supported Khelif and had filed a complaint with the IOC over the “immoral” campaign against their athlete.

Taiwan’s boxing federations and National Olympic Committee did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

IBA rebels against IOC

The International Boxing Association (IBA) will award Italy’s Angela Carini, who lost her welterweight round-of-16 bout against Algerian Imane Khelif at the Paris Olympics in 46 seconds on Thursday, $50,000 in prize money, it said on Friday.

Carini pulled out in the first round after the Algerian pummelled the Italian with a barrage of punches.

The IBA, which was stripped of its international recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) last year, said Carini would receive $50,000, her federation a further $25,000 and her coach an additional $25,000.

“I do not understand why they killed women’s boxing,” IBA President Umar Kremlev said. “Only eligible athletes should compete in the ring for the sake of safety. I could not look at her tears.”

The IOC last year stripped the IBA of its status as boxing’s governing body over governance issues, and took charge of the Paris 2024 boxing competition itself, but now finds itself at the centre of a row over the pair’s participation.

Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, who met IOC President Thomas Bach on Thursday, said the Italian athlete had faced a boxer who had physical advantages and it was not a fight between equals.

Read more with Euractiv