Controversial boxer advances to women’s Olympic gold medal round

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif on Tuesday defeated Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng in the welterweight division semifinals. Khelif will fight Yang Liu of China on Friday for the gold medal. The International Boxing Association in 2023 disqualified Khelif and Taiwanese fighter Lin Yu-ting after they failed to meet eligibility criteria to compete as women. Lin is scheduled to fight Esra Yildiz Kahraman of Turkey on Wednesday in the featherweight division semifinals.

What has the IBA said? The association on Monday clarified why Khelif and Lin were disqualified from women’s competitions. While the IBA has refused to publish the exact details and results of the tests, the association said blood tests for both fighters showed that they did not meet requirements to compete as women. Khelif and Lin in 2023 acknowledged the IBA’s decision to disqualify them and Lin did not appeal the decision. Khelif submitted additional medical documents to appeal the decision but the IBA upheld its ruling. Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has backed the fighters and supported their ability to compete against women.

Dig deeper: Read Catherine Gripp’s report about how the Olympics is juggling the inclusion of those who identify as LGBTQ and fairness.