Olympic boxers cleared to fight in women's category despite previous 'gender eligibility' disqualification
Imane Khelif was disqualified from last year's world championships
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The International Olympic Committee have cleared two boxers to compete in the women's category at Paris 2024 despite both being disqualified from last year's World Championships.
Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting were included in the entry list for the women's 66kg and 55kg categories respectively.
It comes despite both boxers being banned by the International Boxing Association after failing gender eligibility tests.
Algerian boxer Khelif, who competed at the Tokyo Olympics where she lost to Ireland's Kellie Harrington in the quarter-finals, was disqualified from the IBA World Boxing Championships last year having made the final.
Imane Khelif was disqualified from last year's world championships
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The boxing governing body announced at the time that the boxer had failed to 'meet the IBA eligibility criteria'.
She was originally set to face China's Yang Liu in the 66kg final with Algerian media reporting Khelif was disqualified due to a high level of testosterone.
Taiwan boxer Yu-ting was also subsequently disqualified from the event having already won her bronze medal match against Svetlana Kamenova Staneva.
Despite the IBA's stance, the IOC have given the all clear for both fighters to compete in Paris this week.
Khelif is set to face Italy’s Angela Carini in the round of 16 on Thursday while be in action on Friday.
The decision to allow both fighters to compete has caused a stir online with former world champion Barry McGuigan not happy.
He wrote on X: “It’s shocking that they were actually allowed to get this far, what is going on?”
He went on to express his anger with sport authorities in response to a post about transgender athletes competing at the Marymoor Grand Prix over the weekend.
Imane Khelif lost to Ireland's Kellie Anne Harrington at the Tokyo Olympics
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McGuigan added: "It’s pathetic, men will become women to have an advantage in sport.
"What are the authorities doing about this? In boxing or any other combat sport it’s criminal.
"It shouldn’t happen but if they slip through the net and are caught, they should be f***ing jailed."
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Lin Yu-ting is competing in the 55kg category on Friday
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Speaking after her disqualification at last year's world championships, Khelif accused her critics of creating a 'conspiracy'.
"There are some countries that did not want Algeria to win a gold medal," Khelif said.
"This is a conspiracy and a big conspiracy, and we will not be silent about it."
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