Imane Khelif hits back at IBA over 'false and offensive' accusations over boxer's gender

Paris Olympics boxing gold medalist Imane Khelif has accused the International Boxing Association (IBA) of making "false and offensive" accusations against her. This comes after the IBA filed a legal complaint against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for allowing Khelif to compete.

The IBA issued a statement on Monday saying it had filed a complaint with Swiss Attorney General Stefan Blatter against the IOC, citing safety concerns regarding gender eligibility. Similar complaints will also be filed in France and the United States. The boxing body cited former U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order banning transgender women from participating in women's sports as the basis for its position.

The IBA's complaint specifically mentioned Algeria's Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, who won gold medals in the welterweight and featherweight divisions, respectively, at the Paris Olympics. Khelif has always competed as a woman, but the IBA banned her from competing at the 2023 World Championships, citing that sex chromosome tests conducted by the IBA showed she was ineligible.

However, after the IBA lost its Olympic recognition due to governance issues, the IOC took over boxing affairs and approved Khelif's participation in the Paris Olympics, noting that she was born female and has a long history in women's competition. "The IBA, an organization I am no longer associated with and is no longer recognized by the IOC, has once again made unfounded accusations that are false and offensive, and they are using these accusations to advance their agenda," Khelif said in a statement.

Khelif added, "This is not just about me, it is about the broader principles of fairness and due process in sport." The IBA said in a statement that the IOC's decision to allow Khelif and Lin Yu-ting to compete in the Olympic qualifiers and win gold medals at the Paris Olympics deprived "deserving female athletes" of opportunities. Khelif said her team is reviewing the situation and will take legal action to protect her rights. "For two years, I have maintained a high profile while my name and image have been used without authorization to advance personal and political agendas by spreading unfounded lies and misinformation," she added. "But silence is no longer an option."

The IOC said that the IBA's statement is just another example of the IBA opposing the IOC. The Swiss Attorney General's Office confirmed that it had received the IBA's complaint. The IBA said in a statement on Wednesday that it welcomed Khelif's intention to file a lawsuit, as it would give it the opportunity to prove in court that she is not allowed to participate in women's boxing competitions.

The Olympic future of boxing is uncertain, as the IOC has not yet included the sport in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and has urged national boxing associations to establish a new global boxing body, or face being excluded from the Olympics.