“Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination,” the International Olympic Committee said.

Paris, France. A number of MAGA figures have criticized Algerian boxer Imane Khelif‘s win in an Olympic women’s bout, with some claiming that she is a man.

Former President Donald Trump and his 2024 running mate J.D. Vance are among those who have spoken out in the wake of the fight between Khelif and Italian boxer Angela Carini in Paris last week. The Italian withdrew from the fight after just 46 seconds, with Carini later saying that “one punch hurt too much” for her to continue.

Khelif, as well as Lin Yu Ting of Taiwan, were permitted to take part in the Olympics after being disqualified from the International Boxing Association (IBA)’s world championships in 2023 for failing gender eligibility tests. The IBA released a statement last week saying that the two boxers “did not undergo a testosterone examination” but were subject to “separate and recognized” tests that will remain confidential.

IBA president Umar Kremlev told the Russian news agency Tass last year that Khelif and Lin were disqualified from the world championships because “it was proven they have XY chromosomes.”

Kremlev has not made proof of his assertions public and The Associated Press reports that Khelif is listed as female on her passport.

Khelif and Lin have competed as women in amateur tournaments for years. Khelif won a silver medal at the IBA’s 2022 world championships and competed at the Tokyo Olympics, while Lin is a double IBA gold medal winner.

After Lin‘s victory over Carini on Thursday received widespread backlash, the International Olympic Committee issued a statement dismissing the “misleading information about two female athletes” competing in the boxing tournament.

The IOC, which is overseeing the boxing competition in Paris and cut ties with the IBA last June, does not conduct tests for XY chromosomes or elevated levels of testosterone, and said the “gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport.”

In their statement, the IOC defended the pair taking part in Paris while also attacking the IBA’s decision to ban them after unspecified gender tests. “Every person has the right to practice sport without discrimination,” the statement said.

“All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit. As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport.

“The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure – especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years.”

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Tags: Lin Yu Ting, Gender Verification, Sports Controversy, Human Sexuality Spectrum, Olympic Games, Fair Competition, Gender Inclusivity, Transgender Athletes, Intersex Athletes, Athletic Policies