(Reuters) – Imane Khelif, who won Paris Olympics boxing gold amid a gender-eligibility row, has accused the International Boxing Association of making “false and offensive” accusations after it launched legal action against the IOC for allowing her to compete.
The IBA announced in a statement on Monday it was filing a complaint with Swiss Attorney General Stefan Blatter against the International Olympic Committee, citing safety concerns over gender eligibility. Similar complaints are to be filed in France and the U.S..
The IBA’s complaint specifically mentioned Algeria’s Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting.
The boxing body cited U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order banning transgender women from female sports as validation of its stance. Trump had called Khelif “a male boxer” in his speech after signing the order last week.
Khelif, who has always competed as a woman, was banned by the IBA from the 2023 world championships after a sex chromosome test that the IBA said rendered her ineligible.
However, after the IBA lost its Olympic recognition over governance issues, the IOC took control of boxing and cleared Khelif to compete in Paris, stating she was born a woman and had a long history in female competitions.
“The IBA, an organization that I am no longer associated with and which is no longer recognised by the IOC, have again made baseless accusations that are false and offensive, using them to further their agenda,” Khelif said in a statement.
“This is a matter that concerns not just me but the broader principles of fairness and due process in sport.”
The IBA said in its statement that the IOC’s decision to permit both boxers to participate in the Olympic qualifiers and win gold in Paris had denied opportunities to “deserving female athletes”.
Khelif said her team were reviewing the situation and would take legal action to protect her rights.
“For two years, I have taken the high road while my name and image have been used, unauthorized, to further personal and political agendas through the spreading and dissemination of baseless lies and misinformation,” she added.
“But silence is no longer an option.”
The IOC has said the IBA statement was just another example of the IBA’s campaign against the IOC.
Switzerland’s Attorney General’s office confirmed receiving the IBA’s complaint and in a statement on Wednesday the boxing body said it welcomed Khelif’s intention to file a lawsuit as it would give it the opportunity to prove in court that she was not allowed to compete in female boxing events.
With boxing’s Olympic future uncertain, the IOC has not included the sport in the Los Angeles 2028 program and has urged national federations to establish a new global boxing body or risk Olympic exclusion.
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Aadi Nair; Editing by Toby Davis)
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