Original article (in Montenegrin) was published on 2/8/2024; Author: Darvin Murić
Some might argue that the Paris Olympic Games have been controversial since the beginning. Granted, that’s what only some would say – those who, amidst the hours-long ceremony, the parade of the world’s top athletes, and the spectacular artistic performances, chose to focus on the drag artists’ performance, declaring it offensive and scandalous…
Just as the situation around the opening ceremony began to calm down, a new scandal – one that is not really a scandal – emerged.
For several days, media outlets and social networks have been buzzing with accusations that Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is, in fact, a man who, after undergoing gender reassignment, was permitted to compete in the women’s competition at the Olympics. These claims have been accompanied by a wave of transphobia, not only from social media users but also from both local and regional media.
Scandal at the Olympics: Italian boxer refused to fight against a man
Boxer takes heavy hits from a man who changed his gender
Boxer forfeits match to a biological male
Boxer who lost to a biological male had a nervous breakdown
Italian boxer Angela Carini refused to fight a man who identifies as female! She is the first athlete in history to win the Olympic Games by forfeiting!
These are just some of the literally hundreds of headlines and countless posts from individual users on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram… (Archived here 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7)
How did it all start?
Imane Khelif faced off against Italian Angela Carini in the ring and, in boxing terms, dominated the match from the start. Carini admitted defeat after 46 seconds and abandoned the match.
This marked the beginning of an avalanche of negative comments and hostility directed at Imane Khelif, all because she, along with Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-Ting, was disqualified from the 2023 World Boxing Championships. Both underwent genetic testing, which revealed that they possess XY chromosomes.
What is X and what is XY?
Typically, women have two X chromosomes, while men have one X and one Y chromosome. However, some women have female physical characteristics but also carry a male Y chromosome. Therefore, the presence of XY chromosomes alone does not define someone as male. Primary and secondary sexual characteristics are also significant factors.
According to the Italian Health Institute, as reported by the fact-checking platform Facta, primary sexual characteristics include gonads, where reproductive cells and sex hormones are produced. Secondary characteristics, such as voice depth, body hair distribution, muscle mass, and breast development, develop during puberty and highlight the differences between men and women.
“Cases where sex characteristics do not fit typical notions are termed “developmental sex differences” (DSDs) or “variations in sex characteristics” (VSCs), commonly known as “intersexuality.” Up to 1.7 percent of people may have such variations, with androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) being the most common. AIS results from a genetic mutation affecting the androgen receptor, leading to reduced virilization or the excessive production of androgens (male sex hormones like testosterone) in the adrenal glands. Elevated testosterone levels in female athletes can pose a problem due to the potential physical advantages they confer. However, testosterone is not exclusive to men; women can naturally have high levels, a condition known as hyperandrogenism. This can result from hirsutism, polycystic ovary syndrome, or congenital adrenal hyperplasia,” explains the Italian health institution.
Disagreement between the IOC and IBA
As previously mentioned, the International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified the Algerian boxer in 2023 following genetic testing. However, as reported by The Guardian, the IBA has since been barred from organizing the boxing tournament at the Olympic Games, and this year’s tournament is being overseen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The Guardian also explains that the IOC clarified that both Khelif and Taiwanese Lin Yu-Ting adhered to the participation rules and have been competing in the women’s category for years. Moreover, the IOC accused the IBA of changing the rules in the middle of the 2023 World Boxing Championships.
“The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure – especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years,” stated the IOC.
Imane Khelif is not the first victim. Do you remember Caster Semenya?
The experiences of South African athlete Caster Semenya closely resemble those of these boxers. The two-time Olympic champion was accused of being male when, in reality, she simply had high levels of testosterone. She was forced to undergo a sex test and was only allowed to return to athletics after a year-long hiatus.
Through her fight, Semenya eventually brought her case to the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled in her favor and removed the discriminatory testosterone limits for female athletes.
To reiterate, Semenya was hyperandrogenic, naturally possessing high testosterone levels, just like Imane Khelif – both of whom are biological women.
Given all the above, the claims that the Algerian is actually a man are rated as fake news.
The “Fake news” rating is given to an original media report (completely produced by the media that published it) that contains factually incorrect claims or information. Content that is rated as fake news can be reliably determined to have been created and disseminated with the intent to misinform the public, that is, to present a completely false claim as fact.
