Gender-row boxer Imane Khelif has vowed to explore ‘all available legal avenues’ against the International Boxing Association, accusing the organisation of spreading ‘false and offensive’ accusations.
Algerian Khelif and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan both won gold medals at last summer’s Olympics despite being disqualified from the 2023 World Championships for failing gender eligibility tests.
The IBA – the Russian-led body who administered those disputed 2023 tests – announced earlier this week that they have launched legal action against against the International Olympic Committee for allowing the boxers to compete at Paris 2024.
Khelif, who remains banned from the IBA’s World Championships, issued a statement accusing the organisation of making ‘baseless accusations’ to ‘further their agenda’.
The 25-year-old said wrote in a statement that ‘all necessary legal steps’ would be explored to ‘ensure that my fights and principles of fair competition are upheld.
‘For two years, I have taken the high road while my name and image have been used, unauthorised, to further personal and political agendas through the spreading and dissemination of baseless lies and misinformation. But silence is no longer an option.
Imane Khelif has accused the International Boxing Association of spreading ‘false and offensive’ accusations
The Olympic gold medallist vowed to explore legal action against the IBA in a statement
‘The IBA, an organisation that I am no longer associated with and which is no longer recognised by the International Olympic Committee, have again made baseless accusations that are false and offensive, using them to further their agenda,’ Khelif wrote in a statement.
‘This is a matter that concerns not just me but the broader principles of fairness and due process in sport.
‘I have seen adversity before. I lost in my first Olympic appearance. I lost in the amateur leagues. I have been knocked down more times than I can count. But I have never stayed down. I have fought through every setback, every false accusation, every attempt to erase me. And I have won. Each obstacle has only strengthened my resolve. I will continue to compete with honor and integrity.
‘My team is carefully reviewing the situation and will take all necessary legal steps to ensure that my rights and the principles of fair competition are upheld. Those responsible for these actions must be held accountable, and we will pursue all available legal avenues to ensure that justice prevails.
‘I am not going anywhere. I will fight in the ring, I will fight in the courts, and I will fight in the public eye until the truth is undeniable.
‘To my supporters, thank you for standing by me. I remain focused, determined and ready to continue representing my country and my sport at the highest level.’
The IBA had cited President Trump’s recent executive order banning transgender women from female sports in the USA when announcing their legal challenge.
The organisation said it was filing complaints to the attorney generals of Switzerland, France and the USA ‘regarding the IOC’s actions that facilitated the participation of these ineligible athletes’.
The IOC are being sued for letting Khelif (left) and Lin Yu-ting compete at Paris 2024
Khelif and Yu-ting won Olympic gold despite being disqualified from the World Championships
The IBA claim that, according to Swiss law, ‘any action or inaction that poses a safety risk to competition participants warrants investigation and may serve as grounds for criminal prosecution’.
The organisation have also offered to financially support any Paris 2024 boxers who wish to pursue legal action.
‘President Trump’s order to ban transgender athletes from women’s sport validates IBA’s efforts to protect the integrity of female sports,’ said IBA president Umar Kremlev. ‘Our actions aim to ensure gender equality in boxing.
‘IBA will provide free-of-charge comprehensive legal support to our boxers in these lawsuits, as this is a clear violation of human rights, an outrage towards the female boxers, and simply a crime that should be punished accordingly.
‘In my personal opinion, (IOC president) Thomas Bach should take the full responsibility for this, as he was in charge when it happened, and he needs to compensate the damages caused, if the court or any other instance rules this.’
The IOC stripped the IBA of their status as the sport’s world governing body in 2023 citing concerns over ethics and finances.
It meant the boxing tournament at last summer’s Olympics was ran by the IOC, who let Khelif and Yu-ting compete in Paris, claiming the IBA had not produced any evidence of their failed gender eligibility tests.
