Olympics boss says boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting have a right to fight

Olympics chief Thomas Bach rejected the suggestion the inclusion of Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting at the Games has been prioritised over fairness and the safety of other female boxers.

Algeria middleweight Khelif and Chinese Taipei featherweight Lin were disqualified by the International Boxing Association (IBA) from last year’s World Championships after failing gender eligibility tests.

But no concrete proof has been given, while the IBA was expelled last year over financial and corruption concerns by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is overseeing boxing at Paris 2024.

Khelif and Lin are into the gold medal matches in their respective weight categories but the issue has mushroomed to the extent former US President Donald Trump and author JK Rowling have weighed in.

Two of Lin’s most recent opponents have made ‘X’ symbols with their index fingers in the ring after their defeats, which is thought to be a reference to female XX chromosomes.

But IOC president Bach reiterated his support for Khelif and Lin, as he said: “This is not a question of inclusion, this has never played a role in all this, this is a question of justice: women must be allowed to take part in women’s competitions. And the two are women.

“It is not as easy (as those) in this cultural war may want to portray it, that the XX or XY is the clear distinction between men and women.

“This is scientifically not true anymore. Therefore these two are women and they have the right to participate in the women’s competition. This has nothing to do with inclusion in any way.”

The IOC confirmed Khelif and Lin had “complied” with entry regulations although the organisation abolished gender verification testing at the turn of the century due to scientific