The Olympics attract a large audience, often leading to emotional reactions that may not necessarily be related to the sports being played.
Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan and Imane Khelif from Algeria, who were unable to compete in the world championships last year due to failing a gender eligibility test, have been confirmed to participate in the 2024 Olympics by the International Olympic Committee.
The boxers will not be competing against each other, but instead, they will be facing different opponents. Both athletes possessed “XY chromosomes” and were disqualified from last year’s world championship. Despite the ruling, the International Olympic Committee has chosen to disregard it and make a controversial decision of their own.
JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, expressed her frustration with the 2024 Paris organizers on Twitter.
She asked, “What needs to happen to stop this madness? Does a female boxer have to suffer life-changing injuries? Does a female boxer have to die?”
Despite the fact that both boxers did not pass gender tests several months prior, the Olympic Committee stated that “The PBU utilized the boxing regulations from Tokyo 2020 (which were applied during the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020 and the associated qualifying events) as a foundation for formulating its own guidelines. These regulations were derived from the rules established during Rio 2016.”
The PBU strived to limit changes in order to reduce the effect on athletes’ training and ensure uniformity across Olympic Games.
Due to her inability to pass a gender eligibility test, Lin Yu-ting was stripped of the bronze medal she secured in March 2023. Concurrently, Imane Khelif was disqualified in New Delhi after failing a testosterone level examination.
The discontent regarding this situation extends beyond the author of Harry Potter; numerous individuals, including prominent figures in the boxing community, have expressed their criticism as well.
It will be interesting to see where this one goes.
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