Olympics boss Thomas Bach made a stunning – and hugely embarrassing – error when trying to put an end to the gender row that has rocked the Games.
The German chief, 70, told reporters that the issue, which centres around the participation of two boxers who were reported to have failed a gender test last year, was ‘not a DSD case’.
Had it been accurate, Bach’s comment would have been a significant development which may well have put an end to an argument that has raged across the world.
Questions have been raised over the participation of Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan‘s Lin Yu-Ting, who were disqualified from last year’s World Championships, after they were reported to have failed gender tests. Neither are trans, but officials from the Russian backed IBA, which issued the ban, said both had XY chromosomes, the male gene.
Bach’s comment would appear to have blown that claim out of the water. However, within seconds of the press conference concluding IOC officials rushed to clarity that he had misspoken and had meant to say this was not a ‘trans case’ and not ‘not a DSD case’.
Thomas Bach made a stunning – and hugely embarrassing – error when trying to put an end to the gender row that has dominated the headlines in women’s Olympic boxing so far
Algeria’s Imane Khelif has been defended by Thomas Bach amid her boxing gender row
Bach also backed Taiwan ‘s Lin Yu-Ting who has been in the eye of the boxing gender storm too
Speaking on Saturday, Bach blasted the ‘hate speech’ directed at both and said they’re women
A statement to the same affect was then hastily published on social media.
DSD is a rare condition previously known as disorders of sex development or ‘intersex’ conditions, which affects between 0.05 and 1 per cent of the population. It is usually diagnosed at birth when a baby’s genitalia may not be obvious. Some may be born with female genitalia but have the male XY chromosome, as well as hidden testicles.
Bach made the gaffe when asked why the IOC would not reintroduce gender testing, and whether they would allow DSD athletes and trans-women to complete if it said on their passports that they were female. He had earlier launched a defence of the two boxers, declaring there was ‘never any doubt’ that they were women.
‘We are talking about women’s boxing,’ Bach had said. ‘We have two boxers who are born as a woman, who were raised as women, who have passport as woman who have competed for many years as women. This is the clear definition of a woman.’
After his mistake, he added: ‘This is about a woman taking part in a woman’s competition,’ Bach said.
‘I think I have explained this many times. I would like to ask each and everybody to respect these women. To respect them as women, to respect them as human beings and not them coming anywhere near to the confusion which some want to create.’
Both boxers were victorious in their opening bouts, with Khelif – who fights later on Saturday – progressing in her welterweight clash with Angela Carini after the tearful Italian withdrew just 46 seconds in, later saying she quit ‘to preserve my life’.
Bach, who made an unexpected appearance at before the media, also hit out at the ‘hate speech’ aimed at both athletes and added he had no problems with their participation. He also claimed the IOC was working within the only framework available to it.
Khelif won her women’s welterweight bout when Angela Carini (right) quit
The Italian boxer dropped to her knees after abandoning and was seen crying in the ring
Khelif’s participation in the event has been a source of controversy having been disqualified from the Women’s World Boxing Championships last year
Uzbekistani boxer Sitora Turdibekova was seen crying after losing to Lin
Lin won her opening bout in the women’s featherweight boxing event pm Friday
‘What we see now is that some want to own the definition of who is a woman,’ the German said.
‘I can only invite them to come up with a scientific-based new definition of who is a woman and how can someone born, raised, who competed as a woman not be considered a woman. If they come up with something we are ready to look into it but we will not take part in a politically-motivated cultural war. Allow me to say what is going on in this context in social media with all this hate speech, aggression and abuse, fuelled by this agenda is totally unacceptable.’
The IBA, which is effectively at war with the IOC, have failed to provide clear detail, other than to say that both failed gender tests which were carried out after concerns were raised.
The decision to expel the boxers was made by the IBA, which is led by a Russian, and which was stripped of its role as organiser of the Olympics competition amid concerns over governance.
When asked if the furore was the result of a Russian disinformation campaign aimed at destabilising the Games, Bach responded: ‘What we have seen from the Russian side and in particular from the IBA, whose recognition we had to withdraw for many reasons, they have undertaken way before these Games with a defamation campaign against France, against the Games, against the IOC.’
Bach added: ‘They have made a number of comments in this respect which I do not want to repeat. If you want to have an idea about the credibility of information coming from this non-recognised federation I can only suggest you look into the comments they have made recently and make your own judgement.’
Bach was flanked by Paris 2024 boss Tony Estanguet and comms chief Anne Descamps when he made the blunder. Estanguet and Bach had earlier spoken about the success of the Games in an apparent attempt to take control of the narrative.
