A boxer who failed gender eligibility tests has been allowed to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics under the women's events due to rule changes that took place before the summer games began.
Imane Khelif, from Algeria, is representing her home nation in the 2024 Games, competing in the women's 66kg competition.
She found her way straight in to the quarter finals after her round of 16 opponent, Italy's Angela Carini, abandoned the fight after just 46 seconds and being punched twice in the face.
Advert
Carini raised her hand before getting her head guard checked and returning to fight. But one punch later, she walked out the ring.
Khelif tried to give her opponent a hug but it was not welcomed.
25-year-old Khelif has caused some controversy in the boxing world after competing in the Paris Olympics despite previously being banned from the women's event.
Last year, Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships in New Delhi only shortly before competing in the gold medal bout against China's Yang Liu. It was after she failed a gender eligibility test to compete in the women's game.
Advert
According to International Boxing Association (IBA) president Umar Kremlev, a DNA test had shown Khelif to have XY chromosomes. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said the disqualification was due to elevated levels of testosterone.
"Based on the results of DNA tests, we identified a number of athletes who tried to deceive their colleagues and pretended to be women," Kremlev said at the time.
"Based on the results of the tests, it was proven that they have XY chromosomes. Such athletes were excluded from the competition."
Khelif has never identified as a man, transgender, or intersex.
Advert
But the IBA does not run Olympic events. That falls to the IOC, which has time after time reaffirmed Khelif's ability to compete in the women's boxing events.
A statement this week said: "All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations."
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said that 'everyone competing in the women’s category is participating, following, complying with the competition eligibility rules'.
He added: "These athletes have competed many times before for many years; they haven’t just suddenly arrived."
After abandoning her fight against Khelif, Carini said: "I went in to the ring to fight. I didn't give up but a punch hurt too much and I said enough. I'm leaving with my head held high."
Topics: Boxing, Olympics, Sport, Imane Khelif
Tom Earnshaw