World Boxing’s recent announcement to implement genetic sex testing for all athletes at the upcoming Olympics presents a considerable challenge for the new International Olympic Committee (IOC) president-elect, Kirsty Coventry. Set to take over from Thomas Bach on June 23, Coventry will need to navigate the complexities surrounding the participation of athletes such as Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting.
The scrutiny around Khelif intensified following the introduction of the new rule, particularly after a report from journalist Alan Abrahamson, which claimed that Khelif’s chromosome results were deemed “abnormal” and indicative of a male karyotype during the World Championships in India. This prompted prominent figures, including author JK Rowling, to voice their opinions, with Rowling asserting that women should not face male competitors in boxing.
Questions arose about the timeline and transparency of World Boxing’s announcement in relation to the leaked test results. While the IOC previously recognised both Khelif and Lin as women, they had also indicated that the International Boxing Association (IBA) deemed them ineligible to compete in female categories based on these tests. IOC spokesperson Mark Adams described the methodology behind the tests as flawed, making it difficult to engage meaningfully with the results.
Despite this, World Boxing plans to adopt the same testing protocols starting July 1. Provisional approval has been granted to them to replace the IBA as the governing body for boxing at the Los Angeles Games, amid pressure to establish clear sex eligibility standards. Khelif has been specifically highlighted in this context, with World Boxing stating she must undergo screening prior to participating in events, including the upcoming Eindhoven Box Cup.
The IOC now faces an anxious wait for Khelif’s test results before the Dutch tournament. Should the findings confirm she possesses male chromosomes, Coventry may find herself confronted with a difficult situation as she steps into her new role. Upon her appointment, Coventry expressed a commitment to safeguarding the female category in sports and avoiding similar controversies in the future.
As Bach’s tenure concludes, it falls on Coventry to address the ramifications of these genetic tests and their implications for female athletes, countering previous claims of misinformation surrounding the issue. The coming months will be pivotal for Coventry and the IOC as they strive to manage this delicate situation.