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The Secretary General of the International Boxing Association told a press conference yesterday that he would not disclose the results of medical tests taken by Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting – two athletes at the centre of a gender row – “due to non-disclosure and medical confidence”. He said he had received letters from Algeria and China blocking him from disclosing the results, but urged reporters to “read between the lines”. Both boxers were disqualified by the IBA in the 2023 World Championships after taking undisclosed blood and sex tests, and are now competing in the women’s welterweight and featherweight divisions respectively at the Olympics. It would normally be up to individual sports governing bodies like the IBA to determine athletes’ eligibility for the Olympics, but last year the International Olympic Committee stopped recognising the IBA over corruption concerns. The IOC chief said the IBA’s gender tests were illegitimate and lacking in credibility, but has not been clear on its own eligibility criteria either.
