IOC to make Imane Khelif u-turn as they 'move to protect female Olympic sports'
The International Olympic Committee [IOC] is set to make a huge decision to protect women in sports following the controversy surrounding boxer Imane Khelif.
Algerian boxer Khelif won the gold medal in the women's 66kg boxing event during the 2024 Games in Paris following
However, when the world found out about International Boxing Associaion [IBA] disqualifying Khelif from the 2023 World Championships on gender eligibility grounds, it prompted a huge outcry.
It has since led to many speaking on the safety of women in sports as, on her way to win the gold, Khelif's opponent Angela Carini opted to give up midway through the first round after receiving a brutal punch from the Algerian.
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IBA's president Umar Kremlev has this week been critical of the IOC and even Khelif, demanding that she return the gold medal after questioning the fairness of her winning the event.
However, the IOC's position is that the organisation would only look forward in their attempts to bring about changes to protecting women in sport.
IOC confirms new policy that will protect women's sports
The new IOC President Kirsty Coventry confirmed that they will not be going back on the results from the Paris Olympics.
The new president did, however, announce her plans for a new expert group who would be set up specifically to protect women in sports following on from Khelif's controversial participation.
According to the new policy, bans on transgender athletes and those with a difference of sexual development would be imposed.
Speaking in her first meeting, Coventry said: "There was overwhelming support that we should protect the female category. And with that, we will set up a working group made up of experts and international federations.
“It was agreed by the members that the IOC should take a leading role in this,” she added. “And that we should be the ones to bring together the experts and the international federations and ensure that we find consensus.
“We understand that there will be differences depending on the sports. But it was fully agreed that as members that, as the IOC, we should make the effort to place emphasis on protection of the female category.”
The IOC suspended its recognition of IBA in 2023, which meant they had no control in the handling of the boxing event in Paris.
However, they were criticised for their handling of the controversy having allowed athletes to participate merely by looking at the gender in their passports.
Two years after taking away the recognition of IBA, World Boxing was announced as the governing body of the sport.
In June 2025, the organisation announced mandatory testing to prove eligibility of male and female athletes.
As per the rules of World Boxing, Khelif would not be allowed to participate in women's boxing unless she takes the test and proves her gender.
Godwin Mathew