The online debate around the eligibility of boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting has gone out of control, but what do their test results actually mean?
Following Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s gold-medal win in Paris, her lawyer Nabil Boudi has announced in a press release that the 25-year-old Olympian “is starting a new fight of justice, dignity and honor,” filing legal complaints against the “misogynist, racist and sexist” cyberbullying on the platform X.
Both Khelif and Taiwan’s gold medalist Lin Yu-Ting were suspended by the Russia-led International Boxing Association (IBA) in last year’s world championships. In a press conference, IBA President Umar Kremlev claimed that both athletes had undergone “genetic testing that shows these are men.” The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to clear Khelif and Lin to compete in Paris this year has sparked intense debate around the athletes’ eligibility and the polarizing opinions on sex verifications.
Khelif, who like Lin was born and raised as a female, has said that misconceptions about her “harms human dignity.” On the other hand, Lin has decided not to press charges against the accusations — “I have already proven myself with the gold medal,” Lin said.
Each governing body of an Olympic sport, like the IBA, is responsible for determining the eligibility of its contestants. However, the IBA’s recognition has been withdrawn by the IOC for corruption and misconduct. The IBA did not disclose specifics of the 2023 tests but claimed the athletes’ possession of xy chromosomes gives them competitive, and potentially dangerous, physical advantages. “The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure,” said the IOC in an official statement.
J.K. Rowling is among the voices criticizing the IOC and supporting Italy’s Angela Carini and Türkiye’s Esra Yildiz Kahraman, the former quit 46 seconds into her game against Khelif for concerns about her own safety, and the latter held up an “x” sign (referring to xx chromosomes) in protest of her defeat against Lin. “What will it take to end this insanity? A female boxer left with life-altering injuries? A female boxer killed?” The Harry Potter author questioned in a tweet with almost 8 million views.
Rowling’s side of the internet has failed to realize the actual scientific value genetic tests, like the ones carried out by the IBA, give.
The IOC abandoned genetic sex verification tests in 2000 for a reason — that chromosomal variations aren’t binary. Differences in sex development (DSD) can occur naturally, causing atypical development of chromosomes. A woman could carry xy chromosomes in cases with an inactive SRY (sex-determining region Y) gene, the same way a man could carry xx chromosomes when SRY genetic information crosses over. Some scientists claim these variations give rise to testosterone levels and yield unfair advantages but evidence has been inconclusive.
Though it is more widely accepted that testosterone levels are more directly correlated with muscle mass and physical strength, it is also normal for female athletes to have higher testosterone levels. “So the idea that a testosterone test is a magic bullet is actually not true,” said IOC spokesperson Mark Adams. The IBA also gave contradicting comments on whether testosterone was involved in disqualifying Khelif and Lin.
The sports community has yet to find a universal verification method that ensures the fairness of all athletes — so far all tests or regulations come with their deficiencies. But do naturally occurring biological conditions that affect test results make anyone less of a woman or man — and is this a valid reason to bar a female athlete from competing in women’s sports, or the other way around?
In 1967, the IAAF, (now World Athletics) the international governing body of athletics, declared Polish sprinter Ewa Kłobukowska “one chromosome too many,” suggesting a present y chromosome and wrongly identifying her as a man. Though confirmed later that she has a Barr body, an inactive x chromosome, the Olympian’s struggle with humility almost resulted in suicide. As of 2024, three of her world records remained erased without an apology.
“This fight is not just about me, it’s about taking a stand and fighting for dignity, equality and the human rights of women in sport.”
Caster Semenya
Though the World Athletics (WA) has abandoned chromatin tests, it rules that women with DSD can only compete if they medically lower their testosterone levels. Recalling the four-year window when she was forced to comply, South African runner Caster Semenya accused WA of using her “as a human guinea pig,” leaving her in “constant pain.” Semenya is diagnosed with hyperandrogenism, a condition characterized by high androgen levels, which more commonly occur in biological females. In 2021, she filed the case to the European Court of Human Rights. “This fight is not just about me, it’s about taking a stand and fighting for dignity, equality and the human rights of women in sport,” said the Olympian.
Boxing eligibility rules for the Olympics have not been amended in years because of the absence of a governing body, but the debate is universal. The misinformation, cyberbullying, and the psychological effects they pose on athletes are testaments to the misleading nature of the tests. Should athletes be forced into tests that aren’t fully, scientifically conclusive and inclusive?
“I would try to take the culture war out of this and address the issues,” said Adams of the IOC. “The real damage is done by misinformation.”
Imagery courtesy of Bo Zhang/Unsplash.
