Boxing’s back for LA Olympics, but female athletes debate continues

After dismissing the Paris Olympic boxing scandal as ‘fake news’, Olympic boss Thomas Bach seeks to push through a new boxing organisation before he stands down in June.

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Boxing is poised to be included on the Los Angeles Olympic program, but the inflammatory issue about who steps into the ring in the female category looks set to rumble on and could come to a head against the Donald Trump administration.

The International Olympic Committee executive board on Monday approved a breakaway entity called World Boxing to conduct the Olympic competition for Los Angeles, having suspended the previous administration, the International Boxing Association (IBA) prior to the Paris Olympic Games.

World Boxing follows the same dogma as the IOC, which ran the boxing competition at Paris, having a vague rule about the women’s boxing program and appearing to allow biological men to take the ring in female competitions.

At the Paris Olympics, the IOC, under president Thomas Bach, ruled that anyone with a passport saying they were female, which is provided to transgender people and those with differences of sexual development, could participate in the women’s boxing competition.

The influence of US President Donald Trump could reignite controversy about the Olympics boxing program in Los Angeles. Picture: AFP

Paris scandal

That led to an extraordinary scandal where two boxers who had allegedly failed sex tests under the IBA’s authority, were allowed by the IOC to compete in the female categories, and they both won every round in every bout to win the Olympic gold medals.

A few days ago IOC president Thomas Bach declared that the Paris boxing calamity was “fake news” and was part of a Russian attack.

World Boxing says in its strategic statement that it’s core values are “inclusivity and sportsmanship”.

It says all stakeholders must “act with fairness, impartiality, justice and inclusiveness with regard to race, gender, religion, ability, age, national or ethnic origin”.

It then adds “to show compassion and empathy at all times”.

However last month World Boxing officials said it was “too early” to know World Boxing’s policies but that safety was a consideration.

Algeria's Imane Khelif savours winning gold in the women's 66kg final in Paris in August. Picture: AFP

Policy update

A spokesman said in February that a working group of the World Boxing medical boxing has been examining data and medical evidence from a wide range of sources and experts to develop an updated policy that will be designed to deliver a fair, competitive level playing field for men and women and which ensures the safety of all participants.

If World Boxing rules that trans women and intersex athletes with Y chromosomes also known as differences of sexual development are allowed to qualify for Los Angeles in the female category there could be a direct clash with the US president Donald Trump. Mr Trump implemented an executive order banning transgender women – biological males – from participating in women’s sports. His government only recognises two sexes: male and female.

The issue could spark debate later this week ahead of Thursday’s IOC election of a new president to replace Bach, given that the full IOC session of more than 100 members will have to vote on the boxing decision.

Bach formally stands down in three months time.

IOC debate looms

Outgoing IOC president Thomas Bach stands down in three months. Picture: Getty Images

Usually these votes are a formality but given the three main contenders in the presidential race have vowed to quarantine women’s sport for biological women, the rush by the IOC board to rubber stamp World Boxing’s authority this week, without clarity on this key issue, is intriguing.

“I am very confident that the session will approve it so that all the boxers of the world then have certainty that they can participate in the Olympic Games L.A. 2028 if their national federation is recognised by World Boxing,” Bach said.

The IBA, led by Russian Umar Kremlev, has previously said it is filing criminal complaints against the IOC.

World Boxing is headed by Dutchman Boris van der Vorst, and Boxing Australia chief executive Dinah Glykidis is a vice president.

World Boxing says it has about 80 countries affiliated, including Australia and the IOC decision could mean many countries swapping across in order to be able to compete in the Olympics. The IBA says it has 189 countries as members.

Mr van der Vorst said in a statement on Monday: “This is a very significant and important decision for Olympic boxing and takes the sport one step closer to being restored to the Olympic program”.

“I have no doubt it will be very positively received by everyone connected with boxing, at every level throughout the world, who understands the critical importance to the future of the sport of boxing continuing to remain a part of the Olympic movement.”