- Sharron Davies is concerned that female boxers could be “killed” in the ring
- Female boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting have been at the centre of a gender dispute
- Olympic organizers have defended the decision to allow both boxers to compete.
Former Team GB Olympian Sharron Davies has called the International Olympic Committee’s decision to allow boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, who failed gender tests, to compete at the Paris Games “senseless” and warned that female boxers could be “killed”.
Algeria’s Khelif and Taiwanese fighter Yu-ting have been at the centre of a controversial gender row during the Games after both were given the green light to compete despite being banned from the International Boxing Association World Championships last year for allegedly failing a gender test.
Since then, both boxers have secured a guaranteed medal at the Olympic Games in their respective weight classes.
Fury erupted when Khelif’s power forced Italy’s Angela Carini to retire just 46 seconds into their first-round bout and sparked furious responses about her eligibility from high-profile celebrities including JK Rowling and Judy Murray.
The IOC later reaffirmed its decision to allow both wrestlers to compete in the women’s category at the Games, saying Khelif and Yu-ting are documented as women in their passports.
Former Team GB Olympian Sharron Davies has warned that female boxers could be “killed” in the ring if athletes who fail the gender test are allowed to continue competing.
Algerian Imane Khelif (blue) has been at the centre of a controversial gender row at the Olympics
Taiwanese fighter Lin Yu-ting has also been drawn into the gender row after previously being banned from the IBA World Championships last year for reportedly failing a gender test.
Defeated Italian boxer Carini previously claimed she had called off her fight against Khelif over fears for her safety, and now former Olympic gold and silver medallist Davies has issued similar warnings.
Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, the 61-year-old said: “In boxing, it’s madness to put a man in a ring with a woman and for the IOC to say that the only thing that’s important to them is what’s on a passport is sheer negligence.
“Duty of care has been thrown out the window and my head feels like exploding…”
“We’re literally on the brink of a female athlete being killed if we’re not careful. It’s really that bad.”
Other boxers competing at the Games have expressed their concerns and feelings of injustice in more cryptic ways: Turkey’s Esra Yildiz (who was defeated by Yu-Ting) made an “X” sign with her fingers, just as the Taiwanese boxer’s Bulgarian opponent had done in the previous fight.
Italian boxer Angela Carini (pictured) was devastated after being defeated by Khelif in just 46 seconds
Imane Khelif (left) and Yu-Ting (right) have secured medals at the Olympic Games.
Some female competitors, such as Svetlana Staneva, made an “X” gesture after losing to Yu Ting.
Many believe that the single “X” symbol is a reference to the fact that male chromosomes are designated by an X and a Y, while female chromosomes have two Xs.
Linda Blade, co-founder of the International Consortium on Women’s Sport, followed Davies’ lead, saying the controversial gender issue could have been “entirely avoidable”.
“Boxing is the sport with the largest disparity between men and women: men hit 162 percent harder than women,” Blade said.
‘The potential harm a woman could suffer if she were beaten by an unverified male participant is catastrophic.’