The trash talk aimed at Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif following the contentious welterweight round of 16 bout has been denounced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Following the contentious bout between Angela Carini of Italy and Imane Khelif of Algeria, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed their eligibility and entry requirements for the boxing competition of the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024.
Notably, on Thursday, August 1, Carini gave up on her welterweight match against Khelif after just 46 seconds.
The Algerian fighter struck Carini in the nose so hard that it even knocked her chinstrap off, causing her to bleed heavily. After a brief 30-second conversation with her coach, she decided to give up the game and disclosed that Khelif’s blows were the hardest she had ever received in her professional career.
For those who are unaware, Khelif did not pass the gender eligibility test at the World Championships in 2023. She failed to meet the eligibility requirements set forth by the International Boxing Association (IBA) and was thus disqualified before her gold medal fight in New Delhi last year.
Within the athletic community, there has been a furious outcry over the occurrence, with many criticizing the IOC’s qualifying standards.
The whole world has its eyes on the controversy
The supreme body has denounced the mistreatment of Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting and Imane Khelif in the wake of the controversy. The IOC said in a statement that the athletes’ age and gender are determined by their passports.
Additionally, it stated that to ensure uniformity between the Olympic Games, the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit developed its laws using the Tokyo 2020 boxing rules as a baseline.
The IOC denounced the false information regarding two female boxers who were making the rounds in the media later in the statement. Additionally, it described their disqualification as an “arbitrary decision without any due process” in the 2023 IBA World Championships.
In addition, the IOC stated that for boxing to be a part of the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 sports schedule, the National Boxing Federations need to agree on a new International Federation.
