IOC attack IBA gender tests as ‘NOT legitimate’ and part of ‘flawed process’, after Olympic bosses received results which led to boxers being disqualified from World Championships more than a year ago

Olympics bosses were sent test results more than a year ago that showed gender row boxer and guaranteed medal winner Imane Khelif had the DNA of a ‘male’.

Officials from the Russian-led IBA, stripped of the right to organise boxing at the Olympics amid corruption and governance concerns, provided data to Games bosses after the they disqualified the welterweight from their World Championships.

Algeria’s Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who was also kicked out of the competition, reportedly for the same reason, have both secured at least bronze medals in the women’s section at Paris 2024, in the midst of widespread controversy.

The IOC, which is effectively at war with the IBA, confirmed they had received the information, which was sent in June, but attempted to dismiss it as ‘not legitimate’.

In the letter, leaked to the 3 Wire Sports website, it was stated that the test ‘concluded the boxer’s DNA was that of a male consisting of XY chromosomes’.

Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting booked her place in the Olympics final after defeating Staneva on Sunday

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif (right) ensured that she too would receive a medal at the Games with a win on Saturday

It added: ‘This situation epitomizes the importance of protecting safe sport, and the integrity of sport in which the Olympic Movement is jointly committed to.’

IOC spokesman Mark Adams confirmed the information had been received. He did not question the content, but attacked the validity of the tests.

‘Those tests are not legitimate,’ he said. ‘The tests themselves, the process of the tests, the ad hoc nature of the tests are not legitimate.

‘There’s no reason for the test. The test was, as far as we can see, taken arbitrarily. 

‘The decision which I’ve seen reported related also to the competition where one of the boxers beat a Russian boxer.’

When pressed if he questioned the actual result of the tests itself, Adams responded: ‘The whole process is flawed. And therefore it’s not up to me as a as a spokesperson. 

‘I am not a medical expert. But the whole process is flawed.’

Adams was speaking at the same time featherweight Yu-Ting faced a symbolic protest from her opponent in a unanimous decision victory.

IOC spokesperson Mark Adams confirmed that the IBA’s letter had been received but he attacked its validity

At the final bell Bulgarian Svetlana Staneva pulled off her gloves, pointed to herself and made an ‘X’ symbol with her fingers. The Bulgarian’s coach had also been holding a white piece of paper with the words ‘I only want to play with women I am XX’ written on it.

‘I’m not a medical person so I shouldn’t say if Lin should compete or not,’ Borislav Georgiev added. ‘But when the test shows she has Y (male) chromosomes, she could not be here.’

Khelif fights in her semi-final against Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng on Tuesday with the final on Friday. Yu-Ting faces Turkey’s Esra Yildiz Kahraman in Wednesday’s semi-finals and would reach Saturday’s final with a win.