Several of Alabama's federal lawmakers were swift to criticize the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for allowing a boxer who was previously banned for "failing genetic testing" to beat a female competitor in dramatic fashion at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Video circled social media on Thursday, showing Algerian boxer Imane Khelif easily defeating Italy's Angela Carini, who withdrew from the fight less than a minute after absorbing a hard punch from Khelif.
Details are still scant on Khelif's actual biological condition, though evidence points to some form of intersex condition. The particular type of chromosomal abnormality is unclear, and speculation has ranged between those claiming Khelif was born with male testes and XY chromosomes while others claim Khelif merely has naturally high testosterone.
However, Khelif was stripped of several world championship medals in 2023 after the International Boxing Association (IBA) claimed Khelif and several others were "trying to pass themselves off as women "based on the result of DNA testing."
Despite the confusion surrounding Khelif's physiological and biochemical makeup, most commentators agreed the match seemed lopsided.
U.S. Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) condemned the display, criticizing the IOC for allowing Khelif to compete. They both used the boxing match to highlight the importance of maintaining the integrity of the U.S.'s Title IX protections for women's sports. The Biden Administration's changes to Title IX, banning "discrimination" against transgender individuals in schools, including in sports, went into effect on Thursday. However, several states, including Alabama, have successfully obtained injunctions, blocking the rules from going into effect until further adjudication.
"This type of heartbreak for female athletes — this unfairness, this risk of injury — is exactly what the Biden-Harris attacks on Title IX would cause across American high schools, colleges, and universities," Britt said.
Tuberville voiced his objections to Khelif and others competing days before the viral bout, saying allowing men to compete in women's sports was a part of the Biden administration's design.
During a Thursday interview on WMSP's "SportsLine" with John Longshore, Tuberville doubled down, saying the Title IX changes indicate a needed change in the White House.
"There's a good movement to stop this madness, but again, right now, the Democrats, progressive Marxists, have the ball in their court, and they've had it for three-and-a-half years," Tuberville said. "We've got to get it back to be able to change back to commonsense ways and give all Americans a chance to have an opportunity; that's what this country's about. But I'm telling you, I've never seen such silliness."
U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) retweeted a statement from U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wisc.) calling the bout an "absolute disgrace."
The IOC released a statement following the outrage defending Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan, another boxer the IBA banned in 2023. The statement said the pair were victims of a "sudden and arbitrary decision" by the IBA and were "suddenly disqualified without any due process."
In its statement, the IOC did not detail the criteria Khelif and Yu-Ting were required to meet to be eligible to compete in the Olympic games, which is still a mystery.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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