IOC rejects Turkish Boxing Federation's 'Khelif' application

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who won her match at the Paris Olympic Games after Italian boxer Angela Carini withdrew in the 46th second, has become a subject of controversy.

The International Boxing Association (IBA) and the Turkish Boxing Federation had applied to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), requesting the athlete's disqualification from the organization by recalling that Khelif "failed various tests, including gender eligibility tests."

IOC REJECTED THE APPLICATION 

The IOC rejected the application made by the IBA and the Turkish Boxing Federation. In its statement, the IOC used the following expressions:

"All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU). As in previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passports.

The two athletes were suddenly disqualified without any due process towards the end of the 2023 IBA World Championships. The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure—especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competitions for many years. Such an approach is contrary to good governance.

Eligibility rules should not be changed while competitions are ongoing, and any rule change must follow appropriate processes and should be based on scientific evidence."

WHAT HAPPENED?

In the women's 66kg round of 16 held at the North Paris Arena in the French capital, Paris, Italian boxer Carini faced Khelif. Carini withdrew from the match in the 46th second after receiving heavy blows.

Algerian Imane Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships on the grounds that she failed a gender eligibility test. However, she was permitted to compete in line with the criteria of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Khelif's spokesperson, Rosario Coco, stated that she is 'intersex' and not a 'trans woman.' Khelif's spokesperson had stated that she is 'intersex' and not a 'trans woman.'

News Source: 12punto

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