Taiwanese sports authorities threatened the International Boxing Association with legal action on Tuesday after the organization alleged that a Taiwanese fighter in the women’s competition at the Paris Olympic Games was “a man.” Lin Yu-ting, from Taiwan, and Imane Khelif, from Algeria, both guaranteed a medal after reaching the semi-finals, are at the center of a major gender dispute. The IBA has disqualified them from the world championships in 2023, but boxing in Paris is managed by the International Olympic Committee, which has authorized them to compete.
The two organizations are in open dispute and the IOC has taken control of sport at the Games because of financial, governance and ethical concerns at the IBA.
The Russian-led IBA has attempted to clarify the situation surrounding Lin and Khelif, but a chaotic press conference on Monday only muddied the waters further, with IBA officials making a series of contradictory statements.
Its president, the Kremlin-linked oligarch Umar Kremlev, stated that both fighters underwent “genetic tests that show that they are men”.
Speaking via video call, Kremlev also stated that tests showed that the pair “have male testosterone levels”.
In response, the Taiwan Sports Administration said it had lodged “a solemn protest against the IBA.”
It accused the IBA, which was effectively expelled from the Olympic movement, of “continuing to publish false information to mislead the public and attempt to interfere with the Games”.
“The Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) Olympic Committee has retained a lawyer to send a warning letter to the IBA and reserves the right to initiate legal action and file a lawsuit if necessary,” the sports administration added.
IOC President Thomas Bach and senior officials from Algeria and Taiwan vigorously defended Khelif and Lin, saying they were born and raised as women and have passports to indicate so.
Khelif and Lin also fought at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, but did not medal and competed without controversy.
The Algerian fights on Tuesday in the semi-finals of the under-66kg category and Lin’s fight in the semi-finals is on Wednesday, in the under-57kg category.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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