The International Boxing Association denounces the IOC for the Imane Khelif case

The International Boxing Association (IBA) has filed a lawsuit against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) related to its exclusion from the top sports body and the participation of male boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting in the women's category during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The IBA, which was excluded from the Olympic movement in 2019, argues that the IOC "ignored" its request to disqualify Khelif and Lin at Paris 2024 -despite evidence showing that they are not women-, allowing them not only participate and compete against the opposite gender, but also to win medals, including gold. A situation that, according to the IBA, "put the safety of the participants at risk."

"As a result, IBA is filing an official complaint with the Attorney General of Switzerland, Mr Stefan Blätter, regarding the IOC’s actions that facilitated the participation of these ineligible athletes in the 2024 Olympic boxing tournament in Paris. According to the Swiss law, any action or inaction that poses a safety risk to competition participants warrants investigation and may serve as grounds for criminal prosecution. In addition, similar complaints are to be filed with the Attorneys General of France and the USA," the association wrote in a communique.

Mention of Trump and his 'Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports' measure

On the sidelines of the complaint filed, IBA president Umar Kremlev wanted to underline that their "efforts" go hand in hand with the policy taken by Trump regarding banning the participation of transgender athletes in women's categories. One of the key measures that the president enacted shortly after taking office.

"President Trump’s order to ban transgender athletes from women’s sport validates IBA’s efforts to protect the integrity of female sports. Our actions aim to ensure gender equality in boxing. We urge other International Federations to follow IBA’s example, as we are uniquely positioned to address this issue and advocate for our athletes’ rights," said Kremlev.

He also pledged legal support for all those boxers who take legal action against the IOC for failing to support them and damaging their careers through their actions.

On February 6, two weeks after re-entering the White House as president, Trump signed an executive order titled Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports, thus banning men from identifying as transgender to participate in women's sports at schools and colleges. A policy that received the backing of the NCAA and the rejection of the California Administration.