Why transgender swimmer couldn't compete in Olympics but Khelif could
An image of a crying Angela Carini saying, "It's not right," to her boxer coach after conceding defeat to her Algerian opponent, Imane Khelif, in just 46 seconds was all over social media. The reason for the picture going viral has less to do with how quick Carnini gave up but more on the argument that she was fighting against a "biological man." She later told reporters that she had never been hit that hard in her life.
Khelif's journey from rural Algeria to Olympic boxing
Born in a rural village in Tiaret, Algeria, Khelif kick-started her boxing career by selling scrap metal for recycling. She pursued her passion and made her debut on the world amateur stage at 19. Since then, Khelif has achieved significant success including gold medals at the 2022 African Championships, Mediterranean Games, and the 2023 Arab Games. The 2024 Paris Olympics is Khelif's second appearance at the games, having previously represented Algeria at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
Khelif's career marred by gender eligibility controversy
The question over her gender started in 2023, when Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 Women's World Boxing Championships in New Delhi due to gender eligibility issues. At the time, International Boxing Association (IBA) President Umar Kremlev revealed that DNA tests showed some athletes, including Khelif, had XY chromosomes and were thus excluded from competition. The Algerian Olympic Committee also stated that Khelif was disqualified for "medical reasons," with Algerian media attributing high testosterone levels as the cause.
Khelif's participation in Paris Olympics reignites controversy
So then, how did Khelif make her way to the 2024 Olympics? The reason is simple: the IBA has no part in running the Olympics, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which doesn't require gender eligibility tests, cleared Khelif. On Thursday, the IOC issued a statement defending its eligibility rules and claimed that Khelif met all of them. "They are women in their passports,...and it's stated that this is the case, that they are female," IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said.
Lia Thomas can't compete in the Olympics
The admissions of Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting, who was also disqualified at the 2023 World Championships for failing gender eligibility tests, begs the question why transgender Lia Thomas can't compete in the Olympics. American swimmer Thomas rose to fame after winning the women's NCAA college swimming title in March 2022. However, that year, swimming's governing body, World Aquatics (WA), introduced rule changes prohibiting anyone who had undergone "any part of male puberty" from competing in the female division.
Thomas lost case
Following the ruling, Thomas filed a legal challenge, asking the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to overturn the rules because they were illegal, unlawful, and discriminatory. However, her plea was dismissed on a technicality because Thomas was "simply not entitled to engage with eligibility to compete in WA competitions such as the Olympics or world championships" because she was no longer a member of the US swimming team.
