Lucy Zelic slams the Paris Olympics for allowing two soccer stars to play against the Matildas after they were ‘banned for failing gender tests’

Outspoken Aussie soccer commentator Lucy Zelic has lashed out at the International Olympic Committee for allowing two Zambian women’s football stars to play in Paris after she claimed they were previously banned from the field for failing gender tests.

Barbra Banda scored a hat-trick and Racheal Kundananji found the back of the net twice as the African side gave Australia the fright of their lives before the Matildas won their pool clash 6-5 on Monday.

In July 2022, Banda was omitted from competing at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after reportedly failing a gender eligibility test that put her in breach of rules set by football’s global governing body, FIFA.

She had been cleared to play in the Tokyo Olympics the previous year.

Kundananji was also reported to have been barred from WAFCON because her levels of the hormone testosterone were above those allowed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

However, the Telegraph newspaper investigated and found that both players were omitted from the tournament after refusing to take hormone suppression treatments when their testosterone levels exceeded what was allowed by the CAF.

The publication reported that the players never took the gender eligibility tests.

Zelic described the scandal around Banda and Kundananji as ‘the elephant in the room’ in a social media post early on Tuesday.

Barbra Banda (pictured) scored a hat-trick against the Matildas after previously being omitted from playing in a tournament in Africa over reportedly having too much testosterone to pass a gender check 

Zambia’s Racheal Kundananji (pictured) scored twice against Australia. She was reportedly in the same position as Banda when it came to the testing

‘In 2022, Zambia women’s national team forward, Barbra Banda and fellow players were denied the opportunity to represent their nation at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after ‘failing gender eligibility tests’,’ Zelic wrote.

‘In addition to Banda, ‘three teammates including striker Racheal Kundananji were also ruled ineligible to compete for Zambia in the World Cup-qualifying tournament’.

‘However, in 2023, these players were cleared to play at the Women’s World Cup because FIFA have permitted teams ‘to undergo their own internal gender assessments’.

‘We are entitled to ask questions. We are entitled to know why the failed gender verification tests conducted in 2022 were completely ignored by FIFA in 2023 and continue to be ignored in 2024.’

Zelic was joined in her outrage by former Liberal Party candidate Katherine Deves, who took to X to go far further than the soccer expert, but did not provide any evidence to back up one shocking claim.

Pictured: The tweet in which Zelic claimed the players were banned for ‘failing gender eligibility tests’ 

Former Liberal Party senate candidate Katherine Deves (pictured) claimed Banda is male – but provided no evidence. Banda was identified as female at birth

‘Australian Matildas beat Zambia 6-5 #Paris2024. Barbara [sic] Banda is the “star” player for Zambia. The mainstream media will not tell you Banda is male,’ Deves wrote.

Banda was identified as female at birth.

According to the International Olympic Committee’s 2021 guidelines on gender identity and sex variations, the organisation aims to ensure that ‘athletes are not excluded solely on the basis of their transgender identity or sex variations’ while also striving to create an environment in which ‘no participant has an unfair and disproportionate advantage over the rest’.

FIFA’s rules on trans athletes state that participating member associations – like the CAF or Football Australia – must ‘prior to the nomination to the national team, ensure the correct gender of all the players to be considered … by actively investigating any perceived deviation in secondary sex characteristics’.