A gender test during the latest World Championship in boxing, which the International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not consider valid, states that Imane Khelif, Algeria, and Lin Yu-Ting, Taiwan, have X and Y chromosomes, which according to the genetic setup usually applies to men.
Since the IOC does not approve of the boxing federation's gender test, both are competing in the Olympic Games, where they have secured a medal since they reached the semifinals.
Even if it is not clear whether the OS boxers have X and Y chromosomes, the question remains whether it has any decisive significance for female athletes' performance if they have X and Y chromosomes.
According to chief physician Angelica Hirschberg, who is also a professor of obstetrics and gynecology, it is not easy how the question should be handled, but she believes that the debate is important for women's sports.
It's so that even if these cases are very rare, they can dominate an entire sport in some cases, says Hirschberg.
Rare cases
Cases where women have a male chromosome set and also produce testosterone at a male level are rare, according to Hirschberg.
In some cases, 10 to 20 times more testosterone can be produced compared to the "normal female level".
We know that it plays a significant role for performance and if you have continued high levels of testosterone and the body can respond to testosterone, then we can say that you have an advantage in terms of performance, says Hirschberg.
Does not assess individuals' gender
Regarding gender tests, Hirschberg wants to make it clear that investigations do not involve making assessments of individuals' gender.
What one is trying to determine with the regulations is – can this woman compete in a female category or not? That is the big question.
We know that there is a very large difference in performance in the normal case between women and men in most sports. The gender difference is 10 to 20 percent and that means that if women were to compete with individuals who have a body biologically developed as a man, then women do not have a chance in most cases, she says.
Corrected: In an earlier version, it was incorrectly stated that the boxers were stopped before the World Championship. Correct is that it happened during the latest World Championship. There are also inaccuracies regarding the gender test performed on the boxers, where the correct information is that the IOC does not approve of the tests.
Chief physician at Karolinska University Hospital and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Karolinska Institute.
Hirschberg is a medical advisor to the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOC), the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
She was a medical expert for the IAAF when the case of runner Caster Semenya, who has hyperandrogenism, was settled in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 2019.
Boxers Imane Khelif from Algeria and Lin Yu-Ting from Taiwan were stopped during the latest World Championship after being disqualified following gender tests conducted by the International Boxing Federation IBA.
According to IBA, the boxers had X and Y chromosomes, which according to the genetic setup usually applies to men. Women usually have two X chromosomes.
The International Olympic Committee, however, believes that the gender tests are not valid and has allowed the boxers to participate in the Olympic Games.
I don't think it should be allowed. Especially not in combat sports where it can be really dangerous, said Caitlin Parker, who competes in the 75-kilo class during the Olympic Games, according to AFP.
The reactions were strongest when Imane Khelif entered the tournament against Angela Carini, who chose to break off the match after 42 seconds.
I've never been beaten so hard before, said the Italian after the match, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
The International Boxing Federation (IBA) is offering the Italian money, equivalent to what an Olympic champion would receive from IBA, despite the loss in the first round.
IOC President Thomas Bach says that it is "unacceptable" with the hate that the boxers have received.
It is totally unacceptable. We will not participate in a politically motivated culture war. We have two women who were born women, they grew up as women, they are women in their passports, and have competed for many years as women, said Bach at a press conference.
The debate that has arisen during the Olympic Games has its origin in the IOC not allowing IBA to manage the boxing tournament during the Olympic Games due to, among other things, corruption, referee scandals, and Russian connections. The IOC has removed boxing from the Olympic program in Los Angeles 2028.
