The decision of an Italian boxer to forfeit her Olympic match against an Algerian competitor, who was found to have male chromosomes, has reignited the debate over gender fairness in sports. A former Olympic boxing champion criticized the organizers on “America’s Newsroom” Thursday for allowing the match to proceed.
“It is very hard to qualify for the Olympics,” remarked Claressa Shields, a two-time Team USA Olympic gold medalist. “You have to go through many international and country tournaments to even reach the Olympics. I understand her devastation, but it shouldn’t be ruined by a man. The Olympics definitely dropped the ball.”
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif defeated Italy’s Angela Carini in Paris on Thursday after Carini abandoned the match just 46 seconds in, later saying that one punch from Khelif “hurt too much” to continue.
“In my first Olympics at 17, I hadn’t fully developed as a woman, so I can’t imagine getting into the ring with a biological man,” Shields said. “I don’t understand how the Olympics could allow something like this.”
Khelif fought amidst a storm of controversy after a failed gender eligibility test in 2023 revealed high levels of testosterone. DNA tests confirmed Khelif had XY chromosomes, leading to the exclusion of several athletes from competition. “Based on DNA tests, we identified athletes trying to deceive their colleagues by posing as women,” said IBA president Umar Kremlev. “Such athletes were excluded from competition.”
Despite the claims, both Khelif and the Algerian Olympic Committee denied any wrongdoing, and the International Olympic Committee cleared Khelif to compete. Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting was also allowed to compete despite failing to meet gender eligibility standards alongside Khelif in 2023.
“It’s just unfair,” Shields stated. “I can’t believe this is happening, and I couldn’t imagine it happening to me.“
Rosario Coco, president of Gaynet Communications in Italy, told ANSA that Khelif was intersex, not transgender. “Contrary to reports, Imane Khelif is not a trans woman,” Coco said. “She is an intersex person who has always socialized as a woman and competed in women’s sports.”
Shields has been vocal about her opposition to Khelif and Yu-Ting competing in the Olympics, arguing that athletes should compete against those of the same sex. “I have nothing against transgender women or men,” Shields stated. “But men should fight men, women should fight women, and transgenders should fight transgenders.”