Two-time Olympic gold medalist in boxing, Claressa Shields, has criticized the International Olympic Committee for previously allowing boxers who failed gender eligibility tests to compete against women.
Shields is undefeated in professional boxing, having won gold medals at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. The 15-0 Shields won multiple titles, including a TKO victory just days before the 2024 Olympic boxing controversy arose.
“I can’t believe this is happening and I can’t imagine it happening to me.”
The Olympics have been criticised around the world for allowing two boxers to compete against women despite them not passing gender eligibility tests set by the International Boxing Association (IBA). Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-ting were disqualified from the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi after IBA tournament organisers deemed them ineligible.
The IOC confirmed that Kherif was “disqualified for failing to meet the eligibility criteria due to high levels of testosterone just hours before he was due to compete for gold against Yang Liu at the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi, India.” Guardian The IOC also reportedly noted that Lin “was stripped of his bronze medal because he did not meet the eligibility requirements based on the results of his biochemical test.”
In previous Olympics, Lin has been overwhelmingly victory Meanwhile, Kheriff attracted international attention when she forced her opponent Angela Carini to withdraw in less than a minute in the women’s 57kg round of 16.
“The Olympics [could do] This is what it’s like,” Shields said. Fox News“It’s so unfair. I can’t believe this is happening and I can’t imagine it happening to me,” she continued.
The IOC has since stood by its position that boxers should be allowed to compete against women, saying it “deplores the abuse currently being suffered by two athletes.”
“Everyone has the right to participate in sport without discrimination,” the IOC continued. ESPN.
The IOC also said the IBA’s 2023 testing was “arbitrary” and the two athletes were “abruptly disqualified without due process.”
Italian News Agency Answer The newspaper reported that a gay-centered Italian news agency had argued that Kherif was in fact “intersex” and not transgender.
“Contrary to circulating reports, Algerian athlete Imane Kherif is not a transgender woman,” said Rosario Coco of Gaynet Communications. “According to the information we have about her, she has always lived her social life as a woman and is an intersex person with a sports background in women’s competitions.”
“DNA tests have revealed that several athletes tried to deceive their colleagues by pretending to be female. The tests proved that they have XY chromosomes. These athletes have been excluded from competition,” IBA president Umar Kremlev told Fox News.
Shields told Fox News she understood the “sadness” the Italian female boxers were feeling after their losses, saying: “They shouldn’t be ruined by a man. I think the Olympics definitely failed.”
“[At] “When I competed in my first Olympics, I was 17 and not fully developed as a woman, so I couldn’t imagine stepping into the ring with biological men,” Shields continued to Fox News. “What I’m saying is, men should fight men, women should fight women, transgender should fight transgender.”
Shields isn’t the only boxer to speak out about the Olympic gender debate. Boxer Jake Paul offered Carini, who withdrew from Khelif after just 46 seconds, a spot in his organization.
“To Angela Carini, your dreams could not come true today because of the crazy plans currently taking place in the world, but I want to say to you, [Most Valuable Promotions] “Not against the men, but as an opening act to show the world her talent on a level playing field. Let the internet help us find her,” Paul wrote. X.
Khelib will face Anna-Luka Hamori of Hungary. SaturdayLin will face Svetlana Kamenova-Staneva of Bulgaria. Sunday.
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