IBA Threatens Legal Action Against IOC Over Female Boxers' Gold Medals

Title IBA Threatens Legal Action Against IOC Over Female Boxers' Gold Medals

The International Boxing Association (IBA) has announced plans to file criminal complaints against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the US, France, and Switzerland, citing concerns about safety risks and the integrity of female sports. The move comes after the IOC allowed female boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting to compete and win gold medals at the Paris Olympics last year.

Key Insights

1. Safety Risks The IBA claims that the IOC's decision poses a safety risk to competition participants, citing Swiss law that requires investigation and potential criminal prosecution for any action or inaction that puts participants at risk. This includes allowing female boxers to compete against each other.
2. Executive Order The IBA is drawing parallels with an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump, which aims to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls' and women's sports. While some critics argue the order is discriminatory, the IBA sees it as validation of its efforts to protect the integrity of female sports.
3. Feud Between IBA and IOC The legal threats are part of a long-standing feud between the IBA and IOC, dating back to when the IOC took control of running boxing tournaments at the Olympics. The IBA has been funded by Russia state energy firm Gazprom, while the IOC has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
4. Boxers' Eligibility The IOC maintains that Khelif and Lin complied with all rules for the Olympic tournament and were not transgender athletes as claimed by the IBA. The two boxers were disqualified from the 2023 world championships run by the IBA, citing failure to meet eligibility tests.
5. Stricter Rules Ahead As top-tier Olympic sports such as track and field, swimming, and cycling have already passed rules excluding athletes who went through male puberty from competing in women's events, the controversy highlights the complexities surrounding gender and sports. The IOC has cited career records of Khelif and Lin to demonstrate that they did not have a heightened performance advantage or safety risk compared to other successful boxers.

The feud between the IBA and IOC serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges surrounding gender and sport. As stricter rules are implemented in various Olympic sports, it will be crucial to monitor how this controversy unfolds and what implications it may have for athletes and competitions alike.

Edward Lance Arellano Lorilla

CEO / Co-Founder

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