August 06 2024, 08:15 Transgender boxing promoter Kellie Maloney has weighed in on the Olympics gender row which has left Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting facing an unprecedented backlash, labelled a “witch hunt” by the IOC.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Monday (5 August), Maloney said: “They are biological women, so I don’t know what the problem is. They boxed in the Olympics four years ago. They were beaten by an Irish fighter and there was not one word about it.”
She went on to say that there is “no proof” of Khelif and Lin failing any kind of gender test, as has been reported. “I feel sorry for them, their lives have been destroyed.”
Maloney added that “women should feel safe in their space” and agreed that “women’s sports should be for women”.
'The World Championships are run by a Russian organisation who claimed they failed a gender test but there's no evidence of the test'
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) August 5, 2024
Kellie Maloney transition into a women a decade ago and believes there has been 'a lot of misinformation' around the Olympic boxing gender row pic.twitter.com/4GjLP0oHWK
She went on to share her personal opinion, saying: “I don’t think trans women who have gone through puberty should be able to take part in women’s sport.”
However, supporters of trans women’s inclusion in women’s sport argue that taking estrogen suppresses testosterone levels and reduces their muscle mass, reducing possible advantages in competition.
“Not a transgender issue”
Khelif and Lin met all the relevant criteria set out by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to compete in the women’s boxing event.
An IOC spokesman previously told The Guardian: “All the competitors comply with the eligibility rules. But what I would say is that this involves real people. And, by the way, this is not a transgender issue. I should make this absolutely clear.”
An online storm of transphobia directed primarily at Khelif was sparked after Italian boxer Angela Carini bowed out of a bout with the welterweight after just 46 seconds, later claiming that given up to “preserve” her life.
She has subsequently said that she wants to apologise to Khelif for her reaction, adding: “I’m sorry for my opponent. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision.”
Misinformation about Khelif being trans spread rapidly on social media, leading people such as Elon Musk, Logan Paul and JK Rowling to call the Algerian a man who should not have been allowed to participate in the women’s event. Similar comments were made about Lin Yu-ting, causing widespread outrage in Taiwan.
You can read all of our Paris Olympics 2024 coverage here.
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