The International Boxing Association (IBA) has announced plans to take legal action against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over its decision to allow Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Both athletes had previously been excluded from the IBA’s 2023 World Championships after failing gender eligibility tests, but the IOC cleared them to compete. The two fighters went on to win gold medals in their respective weight categories.
The controversy stems from the fact that the IOC, not the IBA, oversaw the boxing competitions at the Paris Games. The IOC had taken over after expelling the IBA from the Olympic movement due to ongoing financial and ethical irregularities. Now, the IBA is taking legal action, arguing that the IOC acted improperly by allowing Khelif and Lin to participate.
In a strongly worded statement, the IBA said it was filing an official complaint with the Attorney General of Switzerland, where the IOC is based. Similar complaints are also being lodged in France and the United States.
The IBA further linked its legal action to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent executive order aimed at banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.
IBA president Umar Kremlev, a Russian oligarch with ties to the Kremlin, stated: “President Trump’s order to ban transgender athletes from women’s sport validates IBA’s efforts to protect the integrity of female sports.”
However, the statement has sparked backlash, as neither Imane Khelif nor Lin Yu-ting are transgender women. Both were born and raised as women, with passports and official records reflecting their female identity.
This latest legal battle highlights the deep divide between the IOC and the IBA, which has been at odds for years. The IBA’s suspension from the Olympic movement was due to serious concerns about governance, including financial mismanagement and alleged Russian influence.
Despite being the sport’s official governing body, the IBA no longer has control over Olympic boxing—a decision that has led to ongoing tensions.