IBA boss calls for boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting to be banned from Paris Olympics

The International Boxing Association has sensationally accused the IOC of corruption, confirming XY athletes Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting have male biology and should be banned from the Paris Games.

International Boxing Association has sensationally accused the IOC of corruption, confirming XY athletes Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting have male biology and should be banned from the Paris Games.

The savage attack came as top-secret documents, obtained by this masthead, show Khelif has an “unfair advantage” and that XY athletes punch with 162 per cent more force than a woman.

The biggest issue of these Games — the gender-eligibility debate — has exploded with IBA boss Umar Kremlev saying women’s rights are being abused and calling for an IOC investigation amid claims they are killing female sport. Kremlev said blood tests of Algeria’s Khelif and Chinese Taipei’s Yu-Ting confirmed they have the male XY chromosome.

Imane Khelif from Algeria is one of two boxers in the spotlight. Picture: Richard Pelham/Getty Images

The biological firestorm that has rocked the Paris Olympics triggered wild and extraordinary scenes in Paris on Monday as more than 200 journalists grilled the IBA over the Khelif-Yu-Ting saga.

The IOC removed the IBA from running boxing in Paris amid concerns over corruption, but Kremlev says it’s the Olympic governing body that is responsible for the political powderkeg that has marred the 2024 Games.

Khelif and Yu-Ting were disqualified by the IBA from last year’s world championships for failing sex tests. Despite that ruling, the IOC has allowed the duo to fight at these Olympics because they are listed as women on their passports.

Khelif and Yu-Ting have secured guaranteed bronze medals and are one win away from gold-medal bouts.

Khelif is in line for a medal. Picture: Mohd Rasfan / AFP

The IOC says the duo have the right to compete against women, but IBA CEO Chris Roberts believes Khelif and Yu-Ting should be kicked out of the Olympics after failing their gender testing in March 2023.

“This tournament is being run by the IOC, so under their rules, they can fight. But if it was our rules, it would be different. It’s difficult, but the bottom line is they shouldn’t be fighting (against women),” Roberts said. “I’ve been discussing this issue with Khelif for some time.”

According to a document seen by this masthead, the IBA believes Khelif’s “hormonal imbalance affords her a distinct advantage over her female counterparts”.

Khelif, 25, fights in the semi-finals of the 66kg class on Tuesday night and that advantage, in the eyes of the IBA, is “dangerous”.

The IBA’s barometer is scientific testing which shows an average male’s hand shake is 57 per cent stronger than that of a woman.

Yu Ting Lin is another boxer in the spotlight. Picture: Richard Pelham/Getty Images

The report also found XY athletes have 65 per cent more leg power and 90 per cent extra upper-body strength. A male can punch 2.6 times harder than a female, who have 40 per cent of the hitting power of men in the ring.

“XY athlete is a different power, yes,” said Dr. Ioannis Filippatos, president of the European Boxing Confederation. “You can’t have XY fighting a woman.”

IBA coaches committee chair Gabriele Martelli fears women could be seriously hurt at these Games fighting an XY athlete.

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Kremlev lashed the IOC for tainting women’s boxing, calling for a formal probe into the organisation and president Thomas Bach. “It is horrible and a humiliation,” Kremlev said. “Women need protecting for their rights. We are going to open prosecution against Mr Bach and call all the judges to investigate. This is destroying the sport.” Roberts confirmed an initial test in 2022 was inconclusive, but a second blood test in March 2023, the results showed the duo have made biology.

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Originally published as IBA boss calls for boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting to be banned from Paris Olympics