South African athlete, double Olympic champion Caster Semenya said that people were not paying attention to the situation with Iman Khelif until the Algerian woman started to win.
In 2023, the International Boxing Association suspended Khelif from the World Championships in India for failing to meet eligibility criteria. Following the gender test, it was proven that the athlete has XY chromosomes. The International Olympic Committee admitted her to women’s competitions in 2024. Khelif reached the semifinals of the women’s boxing tournament in the weight category up to 66 kg and secured at least bronze at the 2024 Olympics.
“What happened at the Olympics today is not what happened to me. Every organisation has its own policy: boxing has its own policy, athletics has its own policy. Iman is a great boxer and people always criticise when someone succeeds. When she didn’t win, everyone was silent. But the policies and the IOC constitution should not contradict each other. Sport is open to all and the constitution says no to discrimination. If sport is open to all, why does a big governing body allow this to happen? They need to stand firm and lead by example. This is quality leadership that protects, safeguards and respects women,” Semenya was quoted as saying by The Telegraph, citing Sportsboom.com.
Previously, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Semenya’s initial appeal against World Athletics’ rules had not been properly heard. A South African woman was able to challenge rules requiring female athletes with high testosterone levels to reduce their levels with medication. In February 2021, Semenya appealed to the Swiss Federal Supreme Court after losing her appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Semenya is a two-time Olympic and three-time world champion in the 800 meters. She last competed at the world championships in 2017, where she won gold and bronze. The athlete was suspended from the 2019 World Cup in Qatar after the Swiss Federal Court overturned her decision to suspend the International Association of Athletics Federations (now World Athletics) rule on admitting female athletes with elevated testosterone levels.
The telegraph
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I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
